


The Nerd is Strong With This One

by TheSpaminator



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: All the nerds, Also nerd Octavia, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Comic Con, But also some smut eventually, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, I'm just going to have some fun, Nerd Lexa is my everything, Recently polyamory, This is going to be mostly fluff, so that's fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-08-27
Packaged: 2018-03-18 14:20:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 50,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3572816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpaminator/pseuds/TheSpaminator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke finds herself being dragged to a nearby Comic Convention by her long time best friend Octavia. She is looking forward to a four day weekend of comic book scrounging and listening to Octavia go on and on about her various obsessions. Her first day she meets a lovely cosplayer named Lexa who refuses to dress up as any of the popular choices and instead represents some of the obscure parts of the culture. She also meets many other interesting individuals throughout her four days and finds that the connections she makes there are strong and have potential to be long lasting. </p><p>Inspired by a tumblr post I saw listing a crap ton of AU ideas. I don't have the original link but meeting at a comic-con was not my original idea. But it sounded like fun so I thought I'd put my spin on it.</p><p>Find me on the internet: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sampaicamfin">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.thespaminator.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> I live for the headcanon where Lexa and Octavia are diehard nerds. I needed to make this happen. I hope you enjoy it and please, comment away! I'd love to hear your thoughts. =]

      Clarke shuffled a bit in place, her legs were falling asleep from standing so long. She stretched her arms across her chest and rolled her neck, trying to restore some circulation.

 

“Dude, you okay?” Clarke’s best friend Octavia spoke up from behind her, seeing Clarke fidgeting.

 

Clarke grinned as she replied, “If my entire body protesting our current situation is okay, then yes.” At this admission Clarke felt a pair of strong hands grip her shoulders and start kneading. “My my, Octavia Blake. Are you giving me a massage right now?”

 

“Don’t push your luck Clarke, I’m just making sure you’re fit to make it the entire day. I don’t plan on leaving the convention halls until they force me out. And I don’t want to deal with a whiney you all day.”

 

At this Clarke tried to turn around to glare indignantly at her friend. “Hey-” But Octavia tightened her grip to stop the movement before pressing her thumbs down on Clarke’s knots harshly. Clarke’s yelp of surprise startled the woman in front of her, and she proceeded to glare daggers at her. She opened her mouth to provide an explanation but was cut off by her friend yet again.

 

“Don’t mind my girlfriend, she’s full of pent up sexual frustration and any little touch puts her over the edge. I’m just helping her out since we’re standing here twiddling our thumbs and all. I might as well put those thumbs to use. You don’t mind right?” She smiled a sickly sweet smile at the woman who gaped in horror and quickly turned forward again.

 

Clarke tried her best to keep in her laughter. She really did. She bit her lips and screwed her eyes shut tightly. It wasn’t able to withstand the next assault though. Octavia tilted her face next to Clarke’s ear and muttered lowly, “I think we just made her day. That’s going in her spank bank, I guarantee it.”

 

“OH MY GOD, OCTAVIA!!!!” Clarke found herself doubling over when the laughter finally came tumbling from her lips. She clutched her abdomen which was already getting tight from the strain. Octavia just stood there, head tilted sideways as she watched Clarke lose her shit, with a shit eating grin plastered across her face.

 

“There, I bet you feel better after that. Your muscles are probably all warm and loosened up. Amirite?” 

 

Clarke was preparing herself to respond when the line in front of them started moving forward. “Ugh, finally! We’ve only been standing here two hours!”

 

“Don’t be a downer Clarke, you know all the best stuff will only be available the first few hours. I need to scour all the booths immediately before I can take in everything else.” Octavia elbowed Clarke lightly in the ribs as they followed the crowd into the large stadium, flashing their weekend pass wristbands as they got through the main doors.

 

Ahead of them the convention took up every available space in the super huge hall. The first third where they entered was taken up by artists alley and was full of original work by local and far flung artists of all types from figures, to drawings, to paintings, to sculptures, and everything in between. The centre section of the hall was predominantly comic book vendors with every back issue imaginable available somewhere among the countless cardboard storage boxes (which were hopefully alphabetical but who knew), and a few independent companies trying to raise awareness for their products ranging from small movies to 3D printer manufacturers, to fun events happening nearby during the convention weekend. And the third section was vendors selling collectible merch, a few food vendors, the clothing booths, weapon sales, and a few group stalls.

 

Octavia immediately grabbed hold of Clarke’s hand and practically pulled her arm out of it’s socket in her haste to get to the weapons vendors. If anyone looked at Octavia on a regular day they wouldn’t imagine she was a nerd in any sense of the word. She was stunningly beautiful, athletic, popular, and always fashionably presented. But when it came to weapons, Quentin Tarantino, and Joss Whedon she was fanatical. They found their way to the biggest weapons booth and Octavia started scanning them quickly, searching for something specific from the looks of it.

 

“Octavia, what are you looking for? Anything I can help with while you’ve got a death grip on me?” Clarke glanced sidelong at her friend, waiting for the inevitable sassy retort but to her shock, she didn’t get one. “Holy shit, are you having a stroke right now?” She reached for Octavia’s face and grabbed it firmly before wrenching it around so she could look teasingly into the brunette’s eyes. They were rolling but not in a health emergency sort of way. More in a ‘Clarke you’re a dumbass but I put up with you because I love you’ sort of way.

 

“Dude, no. I’m just focused is all.” She shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to the displays, seeing a section of a specific type and pulling Clarke with her to investigate. Upon reaching their destination Octavia inhaled sharply and her eyes adopted a sort of hellish glean.

 

“Um, should I be worried that you’re looking at a weapon with such intensity and...... lust? Octavia are you lusting after that sword?” Clarke pointed to the one she thought Octavia was focused so intently on and laughed. “Wow, you’re totally jonesing for that sword. I wish I had a camera so I could show Lincoln.”

 

“Lincoln would be just as excited as I am, trust me. I also desperately want the one above it. Both of them. Who wouldn’t?? Dude, that is the Bride’s Sword and that’s Bill’s Demon.” She looked at Clarke expectantly. Clarke just looked from the swords to Octavia, and back again a few times before Octavia took pity on her with a long suffering sigh. “They’re replicas from Kill Bill. Beatrix Kiddo and Bill’s Hattori Hanzo swords. And look! The Demon is _signed_ by David Carradine! Do you know how rare one of these is? He didn’t sign a lot before he died notoriously for that sex thing.” She waved her free hand at the swords in a sort of frantic (and possibly manic) Vanna White impression.

 

“Oh. Yeah. I totally knew that. So are you going to buy them?” Clarke had no idea what she was talking about. 

 

“If they cost no more than half my convention budget, then yes. I just need to flag down one of the sales people.” Octavia turned back to the counter and finally released her grip on Clarke’s hand. Lifting it in front of her chest Clarke rubbed her chafed wrist softly with her other hand, muttering a soft _ouch_ under her breath.

 

Seeing that Octavia was probably going to be preoccupied for a while longer, she scanned the nearby booths hoping that something might catch her eye and keep her occupied until Octavia was finished.

 

Spotting a few set ups for local art schools, Clarke went over quickly. She got a pamphlet for each and spoke briefly with the rep from one of them. They all seemed to focus mostly on game development which wasn’t really her main interest so she didn’t stay long at any of the booths.

 

Wandering more, Clarke found herself a little ways down the aisle from where Octavia was now animatedly talking to the sales guy. A flash of movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned her head hoping to catch whatever it was before it disappeared. What she saw was not what she expected. 

 

A group of cosplayers had made their way to the centre of the aisle and stood at the intersection, each being flagged down by various convention goers for photos. They were pretty impressive, even Clarke could see that. They all seemed to be in army fatigues, and some were wearing makeup to look like zombies. She assumed they were from Call of Duty, although she had never played the game herself. 

 

There were a few members of the group who weren’t being pulled out for photos, even when their costumes looked far more interesting to Clarke. They were rather individual looking, and intriguing as well. One costume stood out though and Clarke recognized it as the one to catch her eye as it was passing. A tall woman with striking cheekbones and piercing green eyes stood a bit to the side of the rest of the group. She was wearing combat boots and black cargo pants with a black tank top. Her skin was made to look pale and almost silicon-like, and her hair was slicked back into a bun and painted white. She was also carrying a rather impressive automatic rifle replica (but for the glaring orange tip which was required for lifelike weapons to be allowed in the building. Or at least that’s what Octavia had told Clarke.) 

 

Now Clarke may not know a whole hell of a lot about the most popular areas of nerd culture but she could wax poetic about the little hidden gems and b-list parts of it. She immediately recognized the outfit and was slightly outraged that no one else seemed to.

 

“Well that’s not right.” She muttered under her breath as she started to make her way down the hall.

 

Clarke noticed that the place had filled rather quickly after the doors had opened. She had to maneuver around a great many people and her path was rather zig-zaggy, but she eventually found herself near the group.

 

She walked toward the woman and cleared her throat to get her attention. Her ploy worked and she found herself staring into the eyes that had been piercing from a distance, but were infinitely more jarring up close. The woman also had a soft but strong jaw, and full lips that Clarke imagined were quiet kissable. _Wait what. Way to jump the gun Griffin. You haven’t spoken a word to each other and you don’t even know her name. Chill._

 

“Hi there. I just wanted to compliment you on your Ava costume. You’re quite convincing.”

 

The girl dressed as the protagonist from The Machine had previously been stone faced, but at Clarke’s admission of knowledge a corner of her lips twitched up.

 

“Thank you, you’re the first in a few conventions to recognize who I am.” her voice was surprisingly soft and feminine, not what Clarke was expecting. Far from unpleasant though.

 

Clarke’s eyebrows screwed up in confusion and surprise. “Seriously? I mean I know the movie isn’t exactly popular but I would have figured someone would have recognized it before me.”

 

At this the girl grinned a little wider. “I knew someone would eventually. Besides, I wear it for me not them.” She stared at Clarke, seemingly evaluating her. Even that felt like the character she was playing although Clarke had a feeling that was also just her. She found a hand being offered to her. “I’m Lexa by the way.”

 

She extended her own hand and shook the proffered one, finding Lexa’s grip to be strong and sure. “Clarke. A pleasure to meet you Lexa.” Clarke smiled fully for the first time during their brief conversation and she could have sworn she saw Lexa’s breath stutter in her chest and her throat bob as she swallowed thickly. But then she’s always had an overactive imagination.

 

Before anything else could be said, one of the other cosplayers addressed Lexa. “Hey Lex, we’re moving down to the next hall. We have a photo op with a professional photographer we can’t miss.” This was another woman, she also had cheekbones which could probably cut glass although hers were higher and slightly more slanted. She had almond eyes and a long aquiline nose and was dressed as Suri, a companion character to Lexa's Ava.

 

"Thanks Anya, I'll be right behind you." Lexa slanted her head towards the other woman and nodded her head shortly before turning her attention back to Clarke. “Thank you for the compliment to my costume. It was nice meeting you, Clarke.”

 

 _Oh good grief. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say my name that way._ The taller woman had said it in such a way as to make it sound like an endearment. She rolled the l, and enunciated the pop to the k. It almost sounded exotic. _I like it._

 

“You too, Lexa. I hope to see you again.” She smiled up at the girl, genuinely meaning the words as she let them pass through her thoughts before voicing them. Lexa let escape another small smile before turning and following her group members closely.

 

Clarke felt an arm wrap around her neck, jolting her sideways as she finally lost sight of Lexa in the crowd.

 

“Sup’ Griffin. Did I just see you flirting with tall, pale and scary?” Octavia grinned at Clarke, pulling her closer for a quick forehead bump.

 

Smiling brightly, Clarke wasn’t about to let her friend get to her so easily. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

 

“Cheeky. I like it. Alright, I paid for my swords, we’ll pick them up at the end of the day. Turns out they don’t like attendees walking around with dangerous weapons and they hold them until you leave. Who knew?” She released her grip from around Clarke’s neck and grabbed hold of her hand again. “Alright, my big first purchase is done, now we need one for you. Comic books ahoy!”

 

Clarke laughed fully at her friend, following happily with thoughts of soft green eyes swimming in her brain.

 


	2. Day One - Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke is feeling the effects of a day wandering an exhibit hall and she comes across a familiar face in her quest to de-stress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other characters will be introduced soon, I promise. Just bear with me here. Also, thanks so much for the views guys, almost 1000 in one week and on the first chapter. You're awesome. And you make me feel awesome so that's a bonus. Thanks! =]
> 
> Also, I made a few minor edits to chapter one. Only for the section near the end where the other cosplayer addresses Lexa. It needed clarification.

      “Uuuuuuuugh my feet are kiiiiilling me. Octavia, how did you manage to convince me walking around a hall for 8 hours straight after a 2 hour wait in a line was a good idea?” Clarke flopped face first onto the bed in her hotel room.

 

“It’s a small price to pay.” Chuckling at her friend, Octavia none the less pulled her friend’s shoes off her feet, alleviating some of the discomfort.

 

“Thanks lady.” Clarke sighed in relief and pulled her feet up underneath her legs, effectively making herself into a human morph-ball. 

 

“Alright Samus, I’m heading to the pool. I’d suggest you do the same, it’ll make you feel better.” Always true to her word, Octavia changed into her swimsuit and flip flops before leaving their room with her keycard.

 

In her pain induced haze Clarke was a little slow to respond. Thus, her double flip off was aimed solely at the door. Garnering no reaction she lowered her arms to lay loosely at her sides. “Well that was a waste of energy. Fuck the pool, I need sleep.” She mumbled into her pillow, making her sentence sound more like mumbled gibberish.

 

So face in a pillow, butt in the air and arms splayed to the sides, Clarke fell asleep.

 

***

 

And subsequently woke up in even more pain a few hours later.

 

“Dear sweet Cthulhu that was a bad idea.” She groaned to herself as she drug up her listless body and blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to regain her equilibrium.

 

Clarke glanced at the bedside clock and to her shock it was already 10pm. “Well fuck.” Turning her head she saw that Octavia was already asleep, doubtless recharging for the next days worth of adventures.

 

Feeling like a bag of smashed assholes Clarke wished she had gone to the pool earlier. It was rather too late now though, the stupid thing was sure to be closed at such a late hour. 

 

Wracking her sleep addled brain Clarke tried to come up with an alternative and she lighted on a good second choice.

 

“To the gym it is.” She figured a few good stretches and a solid workout would do her some good. She quickly changed into a sports bra and shin length pair of leggings. She fully intended to work up a sweat so dressing heavier wasn’t an option.

 

Clarke grabbed her keycard and headed down to the main level of the building. It didn’t take her long to locate the gym as she could hear the room from a mile away.

 

Seriously, she could hear it. Clearly her thought that she’d be alone at that hour was unfounded because she could hear heavy bass reverberating down the hall.

 

“What the hell.” She muttered under her breath, feeling cheated out of her planned workout in solitude. Shrugging, she deigned to go in anyway, she was already down there and garbed appropriately and she wasn’t likely to waste her trip.

 

Clarke trudged towards the room and pushed the heavy metal door inwards with a huff.

 

The noise was significantly louder inside but she scanned the room regardless, searching for a good spot to do her stretches.

 

As her eyes wandered they caught on the culprit behind the music. It was a girl, standing facing the wall and so away from Clarke. Her hair was held in a braid running down her back, Lara Croft style. She was doing pull-ups on the roman chair and making them look as thoughtless as flipping your hair. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, those shoulders looked familiar but the tattoos stretched across the back didn’t.

 

Just as her brain was grasping futilely at what was in front of her, the mystery girl released the arms of the equipment and dropped to her feet, swinging her arms about to loosen them after the work out. Then she turned around and both she and Clarke froze for a moment.

 

The girl - _Lexa_ \- was the first to recover and she shot Clarke a curious glance and small smirk. She walked over to a portable speaker and her phone to turn the volume down on her music.

 

“Clarke.” That’s all she said, her name. No greeting, no hey how’s it going, no long time no see, no are you stalking me ‘cause that would be weird. She just turned her head and held her gaze on Clarke, clearly putting the onus on her to propel this interaction.

 

“Ummm, Lexa right? I almost didn’t recognize you. Clearly your makeup was well applied earlier because I didn’t have a sweet clue that you were tattooed.” She gestured to Lexa, indicating the multitude of tattoos that were as eye catching as beautiful.

 

Seriously, a lot of her skin was tattooed and tastefully as well. She had a tribal cuff around her right bicep, tentacles done in blues and purples starting at her right wrist which twisted up and around her whole forearm, what appeared to be a raven taking flight on the lower right quadrant of her abdomen (which wow, she should only ever wear crop tops), a beautiful scene of a galaxy wrapping around her left calf, a gear of some kind in gold hues on the left side of her chest, and what Clarke could only assume was a family crest on the inside of her left forearm.

 

The artist in Clarke immediately recognized a pattern. Whether they were depictions of living entities or not they were all very organic. They were so well placed (and done) that they seemed more a part of the brunette than images slapped on a surface.

 

Clarke was impressed to say the least.

 

“Thank you Clarke, it took me hours to cover these so I’m glad the illusion held up under scrutiny.” Lexa finally looked away from Clarke as she started cleaning the equipment she had been using.

 

“I liked your music. That was Children of the Night, right?” Lacking much else to go on, Clarke grasped at straws hoping to prolong this experience.

 

Lexa looked back at Clarke, still wearing the barely there smirk. “You know Razihel?”

 

Now sporting a smirk of her own, Clarke was quick to respond. “Of course. Who could call themselves a dubstep fan and not know that song at least? It’s epic.”

 

“And motivating. It sets a good beat for me to work to. I have a whole playlist built around that sound.” Lexa finished wiping down the chair and moved to the leg press machine.

 

“Totally agree. Aren’t you worried that the hotel staff will get up your butt about it though? It was kinda loud. Not that it was a bad thing, seriously I like to feel my music as much as the next girl. But I imagine you’d get in trouble, is all.” Thoroughly embarrassed over her rambling, Clarke turned her eyes to the floor and studied the criss cross pattern intently while hoping the blush she felt creep up her neck wasn’t actually visible.

 

_I can’t believe I just used the phrase ‘up your butt’. Oh my god Clarke. You’re a moron._

 

Lexa released a quiet huff of laughter and Clarke risked a look toward her only to find the girl must be on a mission to make her blush even harder. She was wearing a thoroughly amused smile while she started her reps on the machine.

 

Her muscles were on full display as she pushed the weight up with her feet. Her calves and abs contracting deliciously. 

 

Clarke spent a moment simply ogling. It didn’t take her long though to snap out of it as she moved to start her own workout. She had good company and good music now so why not?

 

Besides, she could give as well as she got and fully intended to fluster the other woman at least as much as she was flustered herself.

 

The two settled into a sort of rhythm. Lexa moving from machine to machine as Clarke did all her floor work with a medicine ball. The decision to come to the gym was one Clarke was congratulating herself for since not only did she physically feel better but she was also glad of the opportunity to speak to Lexa again. 

 

As she held the medicine ball beneath her, Clarke proceeded to do pushups. She may not have been the most fit person in the entire world (cardio was her worst nightmare. She had the lung capacity of an overeager asthmatic puppy) but she did have exceptional core strength and nicely toned arms. If ever there was a time to show off, she figured it was now.

 

After a moment a loud clanging sounded in the room, causing Clarke to look up reflexively.

 

Lexa was the source. She was crouched down retrieving a dropped weight. She was sporting a rather fetching redness in her cheeks and she made every effort not to even glance in Clarke’s direction.

 

_HAH! turnabout’s fair play._

 

Satisfied, Clarke continued her workout without further efforts to get under Lexa’s skin. 

 

The two had been working very hard and after a solid half hour the blonde and brunette were both well and sweaty, albeit feeling accomplished.

 

“So, Clarke-” Before Lexa could finish her sentence she was cut off by a persistent grumbling. Not that Clarke did it intentionally, she had no control over her stomach’s attitude.

 

“Uhhhhhh... Sorry, I haven’t eaten since lunch.” Thoroughly embarrassed, Clarke got to her feet and returned the medicine ball to the rack.

 

“It is quite alright. I was just going to ask if you wanted to grab a drink with me. The hotel’s bar doesn’t close for a few hours yet.” The tattooed beauty was very obviously amused and not even trying to hide it anymore. 

 

Clarke immediately brightened at the suggestion. “Oh, awesome! Do you know if they’re still serving food?”

 

“I don’t actually know. If not, there are a number of vending machines lining the halls outside of the bar.” Lexa grabbed her things and made to leave the room.

 

Shrugging, Clarke followed her without a fuss.

 

They decided to just go to the bar straight from the gym despite their sweaty physiques. That would mean returning to their rooms first and they probably wouldn’t be able to make two trips up after their rigorous work outs. If Clarke was going back to her room, it was to shower and sleep. In immediate succession of each other. She didn’t intend on leaving her room once she returned to it that night and Lexa agreed.

 

They entered the bar and settled themselves in a booth along the far wall. Clarke was relieved that this hotel had an actual bar in it rather than the sorry excuse for amenities others offered. It was more of a pub really, but she wasn’t griping over semantics.

 

The place was a fully fledged Irish setting. It was rather cozy Clarke thought.

 

Clarke looked at her companion. “So Lexa. I saw you have a raven tattoo. Is that a sports thing or are you an aviary fanatic?”

 

What happened next took Clarke rather by surprise. The brunette threw her head back in a loud, raucous laugh.

 

Furrowing her brows in confusion, Clarke’s expression begged a question.

 

Finding some of her chill, Lexa calmed down enough to answer. “I’m sorry Clarke, I’m not laughing at you honestly. It’s just, oh my god no. I lost a bet with my best friend Raven and had to get a tattoo of her name wherever she choose. I got the bird instead of her written name because it looks better. She was pissed that I found a loophole but there was nothing she could do about it.” She smirked as she sat back, nursing her water which the waiter had brought to their table.

 

“Wait seriously? You make bets that have permanent consequences? Man you’re hardcore.” Clarke had to admit she was yet again impressed. 

 

Lexa just shrugged in response as the waiter had returned to take their orders. They were both glad to hear that they could still order food. An appetizers platter was decided on to share.

 

Eyeing her companion, Clarke decided she liked this turn of events. Lexa was fascinating and she was hellbent on learning more about the girl. And if there was one thing Clarke had, it was a dogged determination.

 


	3. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two of the con. Clarke gets bored, Octavia gets wise to Clarke's sudden interest in attending, Lincoln is adorable and clueless, and Lexa and her friends are as alluring as ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little late, I know. But I got caught up watching the livestream for Almost Adults. My bad, but it was totally worth it! Still un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, I love reading comments. =]

      Day two of the con found Clarke and Octavia arriving a little later than the day before. They had done their buying already (since all the best stuff is bought out by the end of day one) so the remainder of the event meant photo ops, autographs, and panels.

 

The downside to showing up later? Absolutely no parking within a 5 block radius. So they took the local transit from their (thankfully very close) hotel, and even that was packed.

 

Octavia was hanging back a bit that day, finding watching Clarke to be an extremely entertaining way to pass the time. She wasn’t sure what had happened between when they left the day prior and now, but there was a change in her friend. She wasn’t dragging her feet like she had been and actually seemed eager to get to the hall. Octavia had had to fight Clarke on showing up later even. She was surprised to say the least, and nursing a healthy curiosity.

 

Feeling a buzz from her pocket to accompany the deadly whistle of her text tone, she drew out her phone. She got a few startled glances in her direction at the simple yet terrifying melody by the California Mountain Snake and as always, she revelled in it. Making people squirm really made her happy, in a totally non-sadistic way of course. 

 

That’s a lie, she definitely got a sense of pleasure from it if not a weird power high.

 

Unlocking it she saw she had a new text from Lincoln and wasted no time in seeing what he’d had to say.

 

**Lincoln (11:13am): Did you buy me anything yet?**

 

**Octavia (11:15am): Possibly. You won’t know until I’m back though. I need to keep a few aces up my sleeve.**

 

**Lincoln (11:16am): Rude.**

 

Grinning widely she quickly wrote out her response, bottom lip caught between her teeth.

 

**Octavia (11:19am): Let’s say I did. What have you done to deserve it?**

 

Not getting a response immediately, Octavia looked up to see that Clarke had also stopped a little ways ahead, and she was talking to some girl. Squinting a little, she found that she recognized some of the features of the girl. 

 

Octavia was nothing if not observant and the girl Clarke was talking to was most assuredly the same one from the previous day. She was no longer dressed as Ava but the distinguishing features were hard to miss. Sharp cheekbones, delicate nose, green eyes, toned arms, and a slight height advantage over Clarke.

 

_Well waddaya’ know. Clarke’s motives have just become so much clearer._

 

Her phone buzzed again so she abandoned her observations in favour of her conversation with Lincoln.

 

**Lincoln (11:27am): Well our apartment is spotless. I went grocery shopping, and I even set up our new at home gym. But if none of that is enough, I’m sure I can come up with an alternate payment plan. ;)**

 

**Octavia (11:29am): You’re a god among men.**

 

**Lincoln (11:31am): Tell me something I don’t know.**

 

She couldn’t help but to scoff outright at that comment, although she was smiling like a fool while she typed out a reply.

 

**Octavia (11:32am): Damn, and you were doing so well. -5 points.**

 

**Lincoln (11:35am): Wait, I get docked points for that but didn’t get any for the chores I did? How is that fair?**

 

Laughing again, she had to give credit where it was due. Lincoln was at least as observant as she was, if not more so. Nothing got past him, and that may have been one of her favourite things about him. Not many people called her on her shit but he did consistently, and she was glad of it.

 

**Octavia (11:37am): Them’s the rules bud. I didn’t write em’. XP**

 

**Lincoln (11:38am): Lies.**

 

**Octavia (11:41am): Ugh, fiiiine. You got 5 each for the cleaning, shopping and set up. With the loss of another 5, you had a gain of 10. Happy?**

 

**Lincoln (11:43am): Why yes, thank you. :) So what is my running tally?**

 

Funny he should ask that since he clearly thought this was just part of their usual banter. Little did he know she actually did keep score. Her past boyfriends would plateau around 300 and then lose as much as they gained, never getting past that benchmark. That was how she usually rated her potential partners and it had worked for her statistically. 

 

But then there was Lincoln. They hadn’t gotten along much in the beginning. He was assigned to be her personal trainer at her gym and she had fought him tooth and nail at every turn. He was unforgiving in his training regime and didn’t take any excuses, of which Octavia had many. Clearly she knew what was right for her so listening to him? Totally uncalled for. 

 

So with as long as she spent resenting his wordsthe poor guy had started out with a score waaaaay in the negatives. And maybe that was why they worked so well, they pushed each other to their limit and then proceeded to vault them right over it and into new territory.

 

She no longer gave any credence to the scoring system since he had shown how unnecessary it was, but she kept it up for kicks anyway. He was at around 100 now, still lower than any of her exes due to his persistent nature and take no bullshit attitude. 

 

But then, she was just as stubborn so they butted heads constantly. Or at least, when they weren’t flirting or having uninhibited monkey sex on every surface in their shared apartment. 

 

Fingers flying over her phones keyboard, Octavia mused that they managed to bring out the best in each other and that was a pretty rare thing. 

 

**Octavia (11:48am): Eh, you’re doing alright.**

 

**Lincoln (11:50am): Glad to hear it. I’m heading to work though, talk to you later.**

 

**Octavia (11:51am): Talk attcha later babe.**

 

“Okay, why are you looking at your phone with such a loopy look on your face? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you less than angry. This is a good look for you.” 

 

Looking up, Octavia saw that Clarke had managed to make her way back.

 

“You’re one to talk. You’ve got a smile plastered to your face right now too. Was that the machine I saw you talking to?” Lifting her lips and baring her teeth in a feral sort of grin, Octavia was pleased to see Clarke’s smile falter slightly as she blushed. She wasn’t about to lose the high ground on this one and turning the attention back on her friend was a surefire way to keep her advantage.

 

Clarke mumbled under her breath, something sounding similar to _jesus, I can’t get away with anything anymore,_ before she spoke up more clearly. “Why are we even friends.”

 

Octavia smiled brightly. “Because you love me.”

 

Rolling her eyes, Clarke nonetheless laughed with her friend.

 

“Okay, so what’s next O?”

 

“Panel. Warrior women in media. It’s gonna be awesome.” Putting her phone away she snaked her arm around Clarke’s waist and steered her towards the main stadium.

 

***

 

After 10 minutes Clarke was bored senseless. It’s not that the panel itself was boring, just Clarke didn’t follow much mainstream film in any form so wasn’t really invested in the actors the way everyone else was. If that made her a nerd hipster then so be it. She just wasn’t a fan of the glossy image they sold and found it all very static. She didn’t feel challenged watching or keeping up with some of the most popular fandoms. She was too good at calling plot twists and endings, and was so unbelievably tired of seeing things gussied up to be acceptable for a wider range of viewers. 

 

Specifically comic book movies that were made into PG or 14A movies so kids can watch them. It’s like the original source material was ignored entirely outside of the characters. Gore was missing entirely, and everything was made ‘safe’ for mass consumption. Where was the fun in that?

 

Octavia was there for the subject rather than the actors so was entertained enough, and while she mostly shared Clarke’s opinion she also thought Clarke put too much thought into it and should just enjoy it. Regardless, Clarke decided she was done with this particular panel.

 

Leaning over she whispered to Octavia. “I need to stretch my legs. Text me when you’re out of here and we’ll meet up somewhere.”

 

Sliding her eyes to the blonde for a second, Octavia nodded her head shortly before re-directing her attention to the stage once again.

 

Clarke moved quickly to remove herself from the bleachers, trying her hardest not to block anyone’s view for longer than necessary.

 

It didn’t take her long to find her way out into the passageway between the stadium and the hall. She breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the packed space and into relative solitude, her face turned upwards while she closed her eyes for a moment.

 

“That bad in there?”

 

Her eyes snapped open and she regarded her new companion with a fast smile.

 

“Lexa, hey. Yeah, it’s all sweaty and smells like B.O. Not a fun experience.” She laughed lightly, fully meaning her words.

 

The green eyed girl’s expression morphed momentarily into one of disgust and she whispered her response. “Ew.”

 

“My sentiments exactly. So. Who are you dressed as today? I’m afraid I don’t recognize you.” Clarke scanned her eyes up and down the brunette and was pleased at the blush that rose to the other girls cheeks.

 

“Oh. Well I’m Janey Springs. One of the NPCs in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. The rest of my group are vault hunters but I like Janey better.” Lexa spread her arms and looked down at her own costume for a moment before looking Clarke in the eyes, waiting for her appraisal.

 

“Well considering I don’t know the game, I’m still impressed. The art style of this is really cool. Cel shading is hard to get right.” She congratulated the girl and was pleased to see a small smile on Lexa’s lips.

 

“Thank you, Clarke.” She adjusted her weight, putting it all on her right leg and crossing her left behind it.

 

The moment of silence that followed was swiftly filled by the same woman who interrupted the day before.

 

“Lexa. Put it back in your pants, we have another shoot.” The woman walked up next to the brunette, and shot a flat stare at Clarke who shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

 

“Anya. No need to be rude. This is Clarke. Clarke, this is my friend Anya.” Lexa glared at her friend despite the flush that spread across her features.

 

Anya had yet to take her eyes off Clarke. “Sorry.” It was said with no inflection so Clarke didn’t exactly believe the words to be genuine but hey, at least they were said.

 

So in the interest of civility she extended her had to introduce herself after the introduction by Lexa. “Nice to meet you Anya.” 

 

The woman’s eyes lowered from Clarke’s face for a moment to regard the proffered hand and she only took it after a second pointed glare was sent her way by her supremely annoyed friend.

 

“Hey guys, what’s taking so long?” A third woman made her way over to stand on Lexa’s other side. Although Clarke never felt outmatched with just Lexa, the addition of the other two startlingly beautiful women certainly made her feel slightly out of her depth.

 

“Hey Raven. I was just introducing Anya to Clarke here.” Lexa nodded her head towards Clarke while addressing the new girl.

 

Clarke slowly grinned. “Wait, Raven? As in the Raven who has her namesake immortalized on Lexa’s obliques?”

 

Raven was quick to smile and just as quick to take credit. “The one and only. Nice to meet you Clarke.” This time she offered a hand to Clarke, who happily accepted and shook it with her firm grip.

 

“So, I know Lexa is someone called Janey. Who are you guys?” She regarded their costumes with a barely concealed glee at the artistry on display.

 

“Glad you asked newbie! I’m Gaige and Anya is Maya. Two of the baddest bitches on Pandora.” Their costumes were just as remarkable as Lexa’s. Anya’s character was sleek and polished while Raven’s was slightly more haphazard in appearance.

 

“Well I may not know much about the game you guys are representing but I can say you all look phenomenal.” Gesturing to them, Clarke saw the pride flash in their faces at the compliment. Yes, even Anya’s. 

 

Turning to Lexa, Anya took the opportunity to repeat her earlier comment. “Can we go? We’ll be late otherwise.”

 

“Yeah sure, I’m coming. Let me just say goodbye.”

 

“Later blondie!” Raven called over her shoulder as she and Anya walked back over to meet the rest of their group.

 

Clarke waved at the girl before directing her attention towards Lexa.

 

“I really have to go, they weren’t kidding about us being late. But I wanted to extend an invitation to you first. We’re heading to a nearby pub tonight after the con closes for a show. It’s 18+ so I can guarantee it’ll be fun, you should come. And bring a friend.” Lexa wore a small smirk as she spoke.

 

“18+ eh? What sort of show are we talking about?” To say she was intrigued would be an understatement.

 

Lexa took a moment to respond, drawing out the suspense. “It’s called Nerdlesque.”

 

“Wait, what? Nerdlesque? What is that?” She couldn’t have heard that correctly.

 

“You heard me correctly. And it is exactly what it sounds like. Pass me your phone.” The cosplayer held out her hand expectantly.

 

Wordlessly Clarke handed it over and Lexa quickly entered her number.

 

“I’ll text you the details and you can decide if you want to come. I hope to see you soon, Clarke.” Lexa graced Clarke with a full smile as she turned and walked to catch up with her friends.

 

A slow smile spread across Clarke’s face.

 

_Ooooohhh, this was going to be fun._

 


	4. Day Two - Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Octavia head to the Nerdlesque show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. I know this is a little late but that's because it is a little longer than I had anticipated (you're welcome) and it was just too fun to write. Please let me know what you think! Still unbeta-ed and also a first draft. My back hurts and I need to sleep but I want it up now so without further ado, here's Nerdlesque!

      “You ready to go Clarke?” Octavia was strangely pumped for Nerdlesque. Apparently a ripped dude did a show dressed as Thor at some point so her hopes were high.

 

Clarke looked up at her best friend from her perch on the edge of her queen sized hotel bed. “Yes I’m ready. Why? Do I not look ready or something?”

 

Octavia raised her brows incredulously and looked Clarke up and down. “Dude. You’re not going dressed like...... that.” She gestured at Clarke, arms all akimbo in her wild movements.

 

“Ummm, why not?”

 

“I swear woman sometimes you are absolutely clueless. Do you not see how I’m dressed? Take your cue from me and go change your goddamn clothes.” Octavia swept her arms down her torso, showing off the form fitting corset she had slunk into, along with the black skinny jeans and her trusty punk leather jacket.

 

Clarke just rolled her eyes. “You do realize that I don’t own anything relatively similar to what you have on right now. Besides, what is wrong with jeans and a t-shirt? We’re going to a pub.”

 

“Yes we are going to a pub. Great observation skills there bud. But it’s an _event_ at a pub. And not any old regular event. It’s a nerdy burlesque show. We’re gonna see some mostly naked hotness, ergo we also need to be hot. Trust me dude, this is exactly the type of occasion people should take advantage of. When was the last time you dolled yourself up, huh?”

 

Furrowing her brow in thought, Clarke realized she couldn’t actually remember the last time she had dressed up for anything.

 

“Plus. Isn’t that cosplay chick going to be there?” Octavia leered at Clarke, knowing she had finally made a point that would affect the Blonde.

 

“Ugh, FINE OCTAVIA. You win. But you’re going to have to lend me something to wear since I don’t have anything worthy of matching your current level of hotness.” As if to lend credence to her statement, Clarke raised an eyebrow and looked her friend up and down.

 

Octavia just smiled brightly, accepting of the praise offered. 

 

“Alright, lets find you something HOT to wear. It’s time you make that chick sweat.”

 

With a resigned sigh, Clarke got up to allow her pushy best friend to play doll with her.

 

***

 

Finding something for Clarke to wear had taken slightly longer than either of the women had expected. Mostly because anything loved by the one immediately got vetoed by the second. But of course, Octavia won out in the end. Honestly Clarke was just tired of the whole charade and decided it would be easier to give in to the insistent nature of Octavia. Also, she had to admit that maybe Octavia had a point about what she ended up wearing. She was slightly self-conscious but also, weirdly confident.

 

“This the place?” Octavia asked from the drivers seat of their rental car, neck craned to look at the front facade of the pub they were pulled up in front of.

 

Clarke looked down at the text from Lexa (the woman had texted herself from Clarke’s phone when she had it earlier in the day) to confirm the address. “Yup, this is the place. Can we park here you think?”

 

“Nah, Imma park in the lot across the street. I just wanted to be sure before I bothered to actually park.” At this Octavia pulled a quick u-turn and pulled into the lot directly across the way.

 

The two got out of the car and crossed the street to enter the busy pub.

 

The pub was situated on a busy street with a seriously wide sidewalk which allowed there to be tables and seating areas in the outdoor area. There were about ten four seat tables scattered about and leaving a path to the entrance of the establishment. The door was wide and left entirely open, lively sound effects leaking through the portal. Even outside there were people so Clarke could hazard a guess and say the interior would likely be crowded.

 

As they were walking through the tables, many a stare was aimed their way.

 

Clarke leaned over surreptitiously and whispered in Octavia’s ear. “Why did you make me wear this? People are staring. I look weird.”

 

Octavia grinned as she responded. “You’ve got it all wrong buddy. They’re staring because we look amazing and they either wish they were us, or they could have us. Own it sister.” As if proving her point, Octavia slung her arm across Clarke’s shoulders and exaggerated her swagger.

 

Looking around her with new eyes, Clarke had to admit that the stares did look suspiciously...... intense. Octavia had decided to dress Clarke in a loose and very low cut black top which was sculpted to follow the hip lines of the wearer, leaving some skin above the very low cut jeans showing. The jeans were dark blue skinnies, full of rips and slashes from below the knees all the way up to the pockets and they were paired with her slightly heeled black boots. To top off the look she had donned her bomber style short black and blue leather jacket. Both hers and Octavia’s hair was done to the nines as well. Octavia’s pulled back from her face in a series of intricate braids while Clarke’s was softly curled and styled to fall over one shoulder more than the other.

 

To say she and Octavia struck a strong image would be an understatement.

 

She decided Octavia was right and she was going to enjoy this newfound feeling of power and sex appeal. She wrapped her arm around Octavia’s waist and at the action she felt her friend chuckle and smile in approval.

 

With confidence, the blonde and brunette strode into the pub.

 

It was clear quite quickly that Clarke’s assumption regarding the number of patrons in the pub was accurate. There wasn’t an empty table to be seen anywhere. They changed course and headed to the bar where a few stools were available.

 

After ordering drinks they turned to eye their company. They assortment of people was staggering. There were people in cosplay, people done up to the nines like Clarke and Octavia, and a few dressed relatively ‘normally’ who stood out in so much as they looked like they made no effort (alright, Clarke would concede that Octavia was right about dressing up.) It was a veritable grab bag of people who would have been in entirely separate cliques in high school. It was actually pretty cool to see people from so many walks of life bonding over a common interest.

 

“So. You see what’s her face yet?” Octavia was already halfway through her drink and eyeing people win interest. People watching was one of her favourite activities.

 

Clarke took another cursory glance around the establishment, not seeing any of the three faces she recognizes from the group. “Yeah, no I don’t. I’m sure she’ll show. The actual show time isn’t for a few minutes after all.” She shrugged, a little anxious but not especially concerned.

 

They settled in to wait for the show, finishing their first drinks and ordering another round.

 

As expected of any event, it didn’t start exactly on time. It was a few minutes after 8 when the lights dimmed and the audience raised their voices, giving life to their excitement.

 

Clarke still hadn’t spotted Lexa and was starting to get a little frustrated. The least she could do was show up if she was going to invite someone out, otherwise what was the point?

 

Sighing, Clarke relaxed against the bar to enjoy the show regardless of her disappointment. 

 

The first few spots were pretty good, a group of men and women came out in full X-men regalia and gyrated around stage for a few minutes, much to the pleasure of those in the front row. Following them was a single act, a woman who started in a full Varia Suit and did a strip tease, leading down to zero-suit Samus and finally into a bra and panty set decorated with metroids. The third act was a group of men dressed as all the male avengers (as well as some villains). There was Thor, Hulk, IronMan, Hawkeye, Captain America, Loki, Thanos, and a few others Clarke didn’t recognize. Octavia definitely enjoyed that one.

 

They were about halfway through the show and Clarke was kind of angry now. Lexa and the rest still hadn’t shown up. That irked her to no end. It was a bit of a dick move.

 

The fourth act was about to come on stage and strangely, the entire audience was staring towards the stage in rapt attention as the lights lowered to almost complete darkness. 

 

_Wait, was there a program or something? How do they know what’s next?_

 

A slow beat played, some heavy electronic song that Clarke didn’t know. Strobe lights started flickering to the beat as a group of people walked slowly onstage from all wings. They walked into a formation, ending in a line stretching across the stage’s length. There were six of them, all dressed in armour.

 

The music started to crescendo, the lights coming up with it. As the beat sped up the group remained stoic, legs planted apart, arms ending in fists and heads tilted forward.

 

Finally the song reached it’s peak in the intro, the bass kicked in and the lights flared up. 

 

Exactly on cue, the group sprang into action. Clarke was floored by the precise movements. The number was clearly exactly choreographed, the cosplayers seemingly experienced dancers. The other performers were all okay but they were obviously not professional, or at least not to the extent these guys were.

 

They moved around each other, missing each other by a hair as they passed, leapt and slid. While there was significant amounts of popping, locking, and even break dance it soon became apparent it was only the intro to their act.

 

Slowing down slightly they all gathered in the centre again and as the music morphed into a more melodic but still heavily electronic song. The audience meanwhile had been going apeshit the whole duration of the intro. 

 

The members started removing their armour to the music and almost floated towards the front of the stage as pieces fell to the floor behind them, their hips and shoulders weaving and undulating to the beat as they went.

 

Clarke had to marvel at the coordination it would take to accomplish such a feat. Chancing a quick glance to her left she saw that Octavia was just as entranced as she and the rest of the audience were.

 

Three of the six reached the front of the stage ahead of the others and two were revealed to be men while the third was a woman. Clarke didn’t recognize them but was capable of admitting they were all exceedingly sexy individuals. 

 

The second set of three moved up into the spots vacated by their counterparts and Clarke jerked forward in realization, nearly launching herself off her barstool.

 

_Holy balls. I would recognize those tattoos anywhere!!!! What the shit?!_

 

As they reached the edge of the stage and removed their helmets they were revealed to be Raven, Anya and Lexa. 

 

Once all six of them were sans armour they jumped off the stage and into the audience. Now unencumbered by the ungainly armour they moved even more fluidly, which Clarke wouldn’t have thought possible if she hadn’t been witnessing it in that moment.

 

The audience was going wild by this point, apparently these guys were fairly well known in nerd-dom as a whole.

 

Each member of the troupe split off, giving short lap dances to those they deemed satisfactory (Clarke had a feeling they were basing it on creepiness level) and when Clarke spotted Lexa moving in her direction, she stopped breathing.

 

_Good god she is sexy. And damn if she doesn’t know it._

 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Octavia wearing a positively gleeful expression as she watched Lexa approach Clarke.

 

Lexa stopped a few times on her way over to grant a small amount of attention to a few event attendees but her eyes never left Clarke’s. Leaving her most recent victim she made a beeline for Clarke and reached her in almost inhuman time.

 

Okay, Clarke lied. NOW she stopped breathing. Lexa was inches in front of her and she was moving closer. Her hands landed on Clarke’s legs as she planted herself between them, her hips grazing the insides of Clarke’s thighs.

 

She stopped momentarily, looking up at Clarke with a question in her eyes. It didn’t take more than a second for Clarke to nod her head, her breath back but erratic.

 

Lexa started to move, her hips rolling forward and her back arching. She kept perfect time and her eyes never left Clarke’s.

 

Increasingly Clarke’s breath sped up and by the crooked smile on Lexa’s face, it hadn’t gone unnoticed. 

 

One of Lexa’s hands raised in a beckoning motion and without missing a beat, the remainder of the troupe made their way over as well. Anya and Raven coming up next to Lexa and the other three surrounding Octavia who apparently was eating it up if the face splitting smile on her face was anything to go by.

 

_Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. I’m going to die. Or not, because I think I already did._

 

Each group danced and gyrated around the two girls, leaving at least Clarke significantly breathless and flushed.

 

For all that there were three beautiful women basically giving her a once in a lifetime experience, Clarke only had eyes for Lexa. She seemed to sense Clarke’s thinking as she slid closer, her face now inches from Clarke’s. 

 

Before the blonde had a chance to react Lexa was pulling away as well as the other five. They backed away slowly, moving towards the stage. Once their backs came level with the stage edge they hoisted themselves up to perform a few last moves as the music came to an abrupt stop and the lights went down.

 

The crowd went apeshit as the group sauntered off stage, and Clarke and Octavia found themselves being surrounded again, this time by people hyped up by the show and eager to hear about the experience. Many offers were made to buy drinks for them but were cut short as the bartender leaned over and said something directly in Octavia’s ear. She jumped to her feet and grabbed Clarke’s hand, dragging her towards the stage.

 

Reaching the door the bouncers let them through without a second thought and Clarke was treated to a view of the group lounging on the couches with drinks in their sweaty grips.

 

Clarke found her eyes alighting on Lexa immediately, the tattooed beauty was already looking at her. Before she could doubt herself Clarke strode over.

 

“So. When you invited me here you neglected to mention you were not only part of the show but nerdlesque royalty.” She smiled up at the taller girl, hands in the pockets of her jeans.

 

Lexa didn’t answer immediately in favour of looking Clarke up and down shamelessly, getting a better look now that they were in a well lit room.

 

Clarke took the opportunity to do the same, as Lexa had changed out of her performance clothes. Lexa was dressed in a simple pair of black harem pants paired with an unadorned grey tank top. She was wearing combat boots as well. Clarke had no idea how such a simple aesthetic could look so goddamn sexy.

 

Her roving eyes finally came to rest on Clarke’s own and she spoke with heat in her eyes and an amused twist to her lips.

 

“But that would have spoiled my fun, Clarke.”

 


	5. Day Two - Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one with Never Have I Ever, and drunken flirting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here the fic lives up to it's M rating. No sexy times yet, sorry. But besides that I feel like you guys will enjoy this one.
> 
> Sorry it's posted late, I've had a looooong day. But please keep commenting! I seriously love hearing what you guys think and chatting with you. =]

      Clarke narrowed her eyes at Lexa, intending to look angry but she only succeeded in looking amused. She cracked a moment later and smiled fully, she probably would have done the same thing. There’s something to be said for shock value.

 

      “Fair enough. So now that the secret has been revealed, what’s next?” She looked up at Lexa through her lashes, head tilted to the side. Surely the brunette’s plan extended to beyond the show.

 

      Lexa didn’t disappoint. “I’m glad you asked, Clarke. Follow me.” With that Lexa turned and strode into the back room proper where everyone was lounging, Octavia included. Honestly that girl had an uncanny ability to inject herself comfortably into any situation or group of people, and clearly tonight was no exception. Other than her Clarke only recognized Raven and Anya.

 

      “Clarke, allow me to introduce you to the rest of my troupe. You know the two on the couch, Raven and Anya.” Anya gave Clarke a terse head nod although she was wearing a slight smile which was a first. Raven smiled widely and waved at Clarke. “Standing against the wall is Echo.” The girl in question stepped forward and shook Clarke’s hand in a very firm grip. “And the two goons over by the bar are Finn and Quint.” The shaggy haired one smiled at Clarke in a friendly manner while the bald guy just glared with barely concealed hostility.

 

      Clarke stood up straight and waved at the group. “It’s nice to meet you guys. You all put on a pretty..... great show.” Clarke pushed her tongue into the recess of her cheek, pushing out the flesh in an expression of mischief while eyeing the three women she already knew. “I’m Clarke and the brunette who has weaselled her way into your good graces after a ridiculously short period of time is my best friend Octavia. Be careful with her.” She pointed to the troupe, eyes narrowed.

 

      Raven lifted her hand to her chest in mock outrage. “Clarke! I thought you trusted us! How could you think we’d take advantage? I mean she’s smokin’ but honestly, we’re better people than that. I thought you knew that.” She lowered her hand and smiled brightly.

 

      “Oh Raven, honey. You’ve got it all wrong. I was warning you guys to be careful OF her. She’s trouble and I’d hate for her to ruin any of you in any way.” Clarke smirked at her best friend, who only shrugged in reply.

 

      Raven slid her eyes to the side, taking in Octavia’s form before biting her bottom lip and wiggling her eyebrows at the feisty brunette. 

 

      Octavia took in the leer in good stride, throwing a smirk at Raven before addressing Clarke. “I like these people Clarke. We should have started hanging out with them before today. I have a feeling about them. I don’t know what it is yet but it makes me all tingly.”

 

      “Tingly huh? I can make you feel a lot more than that. Tingly is only foreplay sweetheart.” Raven was insatiable in her flirting and Octavia being Octavia, was only encouraging it. She got up from her perch on a stool and sat in Raven’s lap, throwing her arm around her shoulder. Most people would be worried about seeing their friend humouring such antics considering they were in a committed relationship but Octavia and Lincoln had an... interesting relationship. They were totally fine with flirting and sex eyes so long as nothing was ever acted on. Their philosophy was that they were the ones who got to cash in on the energy at the end of the day so, why not?

 

      Raven snaked her arm around Octavia’s waist, enjoying the attention.

 

      Chuckling to herself, Clarke looked up at Lexa who was still standing next to her facing the group of people who were now chatting amicably with drinks in their hands. Lexa was wearing a small smile and shaking her head in amusement.

 

      “I’m sorry about Raven, Clarke. She doesn’t know how to turn it off.” Lexa turned to address Clarke properly, her green eyes boring into Clarke’s blue.

 

      “Honestly I should be apologizing for Octavia. She’s in a committed relationship so Raven will be left wanting later on tonight.” Clarke laughed loudly, glancing to the two out of the corner of her eye. They were playing some sort of hand slapping game while maintaining their previous position.

 

      Lexa grinned at Clarke’s admission. “Oh but that only makes it better. Raven can afford to be taken down a peg. Although, she has enough ego I don’t think it’ll really even dent it. She’s a big girl though, she can take it. The real question is, can you?” The taller girl maintained eye contact with Clarke, clearly referencing their previous... activities.

 

      Sighing, Clarke had to admit to herself that she was still wound up. But Lexa was going to have to work for it, she’d already given her more than enough of a reaction earlier on. Time to turn the tables.

 

      “Oh I can take it. In fact, you’ve barely scratched the surface. I’m harder to please than that.” Clarke smirked at Lexa, brushing past her in her walk to the backstage bar.

 

      Reaching her destination she decided to properly introduce herself to the occupants of the bar stools. “Hey. Finn and Quint right?”

 

      The shaggy haired guy was the one to respond, the bald one sitting with his back ramrod straight, sneering slightly at Clarke. “Hey yeah, Clarke right? I’m Finn, that’s Quint. In case you were wondering who was who.” He grinned at her, staring at her rather intently. It was slightly unnerving.

 

      “Umm, thanks. So where’s the alcohol?”

 

      She grabbed two beers, heading back over to the couch and handing one off to Octavia before seating herself on one of the stools facing the couch.

 

      For the next few hours the group talked with the sounds of the pub outside the door as a backdrop. There was a lot of laughter and Clarke found herself growing attached to the motley crew of people. They were fantastic company (Quint excluded. The dude wouldn’t stop glaring daggers at Clarke) and as different from each other as anyone conceivably could be. But their shared love of nerd culture bonded them in a way not much else can. They shared love of a common entity and found that common ground which wasn’t easy to find in the best of circumstances.

 

      Lexa and Clarke continued to flirt shamelessly, occasionally letting a hand brush an arm, or leaning into each other as they laughed riotously at one of Raven’s bad jokes (of which she had many.) 

 

      About midnight found Clarke carrying on a conversation with Anya and Echo about comic books. It seems they were as obsessed with Forever Carlyle and the Lazarus series as she was. Clarke was slightly gone in terms of drunkenness and kept insisting that if they ever made a movie, Echo should be cast as the lead and there was no one else who would do the part justice. Anya looked slightly put out about that but eventually she grudgingly agreed that Clarke had a point. 

 

      She was about to head to the bar for another drink when Octavia’s shout startled her enough to have her falling off her stool.

 

      “OKAY BITCHES. WE’RE ALL DRUNK ENOUGH NOW TO PLAY NEVER HAVE I EVER. LET’S GET THIS SHIT STARTED!”

 

      “Oh, fuck.” Clarke groaned to herself, she knew exactly where this was going. She would be carrying a very drunk friend home at the end of the night. The girl didn’t have any brakes in any aspect of her life and generally ended up totally smashed after a game of never have I ever.

 

      Lacking enthusiasm, she none the less got up and plopped herself down in the rough circle the group had organized themselves into. They surrounded the low table that had been drug into the room, placed in front of the couch which still held Octavia, Anya and Raven.

 

      Everyone was tipsy and comfortably on the way to drunk although none were there yet. It was only a matter of time though.

 

      “Okay, so clockwise. Five shots a person, last one standing is the biggest prude. Raven goes first.” Clarke’s best friend looked at Raven expectantly, now seated snuggly against her side rather than her lap.

 

      “Ooooh challenge accepted. I’m gonna make it good.” Raven lifted her hand, stroking an imaginary beard. It took her all of five seconds to come up with something.

 

      “I’ve got it. Never have I ever had a threesome.” She grinned lecherously at the people around her. 

 

      “Woah Reyes, way to drop us in the deep end without a warm-up.” Echo laughed at the other girl.

 

      Most everyone laughed, not expecting it to glean anything. All but for Anya. And Clarke. The two grabbed one of their shots, the rest of the group either having stopped laughing to stare dumbly at them or they laughed even harder. Octavia and Raven were of the second group while everyone else was in the first.

 

      Clarke shot a glare at Raven as she downed her shot, Anya being right behind her.

 

      She turned her glass upside down and slammed it on the table, catching the look Lexa was throwing her way from her seat next to her. Clarke only looked at her with a crooked smirk.

 

      “Woah whah whah. Okay so I don’t need details but I do need to know this. Two guys, two girls, or one of each?” Octavia was just as bad as Raven, honestly. And apparently so was everyone else, they all agreed and looked at the two expectantly. Clarke and Anya shared a look, both shrugging and deciding to tell everyone non-verbally.

 

      Anya spoke first. “One of each.” There were a few surprised looks. “What. I like variety.” She deadpanned, not offering any more information than that.

 

      Clarke chuckled to herself, feeling everyone’s eyes fall on her. “Oh. Yeah it was two girls. Well the... first one... was. Two girls. The first one was two girls.” She stumbled through her explanation, realizing far too late that her slightly drunk mouth had shared far more than she had intended. Well fuck.

 

      Of all people, Octavia was the one to react the strongest.

 

      “HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE. Griffin, are you telling me you’ve had more than one threesome???? Why have I only ever heard about the one? We’re best friends and you didn’t tell me? I feel so betrayed right now.” She shook her head in equal parts disbelief and amusement.

 

      “Well..... it never really came up? Anyway. Next question!” A blush had stained her cheeks and only partly because of the overshare and attention. Lexa was staring at Clarke in a rather intense manner. She wasn’t exactly sure how to take it, but there was definitely heat in those green eyes.

 

      Meanwhile Anya was eyeing Clarke with a weird look of respect of all things.

 

      Anyway.

 

      Octavia went next and made it weird by saying ‘Never have I ever watched furry porn.’ Clarke didn’t think anyone would own up to that had they actually done it but to her surprise, Quint and Raven both took a shot. Quint’s cheeks were ruddy but not in embarrassment, the guy had absolutely no chill and seemed to be fuming over his having to share it. Raven just shrugged and said that it was bought for her as a joke by a friend and she decided to watch it anyway. For science.

 

      Anya moved the game along by going with ‘Never have I ever had sex with someone in my sibling’s bed.’ And everyone with a sibling took a shot, Octavia and Lexa included. Octavia’s was a fun story, one Clarke had heard many times. She was definitely curious to hear Lexa’s though, and she decided she’d get it out of her one day.

 

      The rest of the questions were predictably dirty and after a few rounds, the girls got wise to the boys using examples of things only women could do, not to mention taking advantage of the fact that most of the women in the group had less than strict rules regarding their sexualities. Basically the guys were being complete dickbeads and there was unspoken agreement to get back at them. The following turns were taken up by things like ‘Never have I ever measured my dick’, or ‘Never have I ever played pocket hockey with myself.’ or Clarke’s personal favourite, ‘Never have I ever tried to put it in my own butt.’ 

 

      Suffice it to say, the boys got the message loud and clear and didn't even respond to most of them, opting instead to scoff and glare angrily.

 

      This left the girls in hysterics who then cheers-ed each other in solidarity. 

 

      Everyone was well and truly drunk now so all hard feelings were forgotten pretty quickly and the game fizzled out before a single person was left standing. Octavia, Raven and Anya were the first ones out and Clarke was liable to be next but everyone lost interest before it could get any further.

 

      Clarke was sitting on a stool, swaying to the music playing quietly in the room when Lexa found her. She had a water in her hand and Clarke accepted it gratefully.

 

      “Thanks Lexa. I really love this song, y’know?” Clarke closed her eyes and continued to sway softly. It was The Reckoning by Halestorm and she was feeling it.

 

      Seeing as Clarke’s eyes were still closed, she didn’t see the soft smile that graced Lexa’s features as she watched Clarke move to the music. 

 

      “It’s a good album in general but yes, this song is particularly amazing.” Lexa agreed with little preamble. Clarke’s eye’s opened at the closing of the song and she caught Lexa looking down at her movement.

 

      “Yeah well. A lot of things feel better with a good place to feel them in. I like this. Tonight was fun.” She smiled at the brunette, placing her hands on her knees which were only a hands breadth away from her own.

 

      The movement inspired Lexa to sit a little further forward and placing her hands over Clarke’s, leaving their faces only inches apart. “I agree. A lot of things feel good right now. I’d be interested to know what else could feel even better.” Her breath was hot on Clarke’s face, only serving to rile up the Blonde even more. Her eyes fell from intense green irises to full, pink lips. She was seconds away from moving to place her lips on those inviting ones just begging to be kissed. 

 

      She got as far as leaning in slightly and looking back to Lexa’s eyes to beg a silent question when she was denied the opportunity to go any further.

 

      “CLARKE!” Octavia had found her way across the table and fell gracelessly in Clarke’s lap, pushing the blonde backwards. Octavia was giggling breathlessly, completely unaware of what she had interrupted. 

 

      Lexa had a look of murder on her face, glaring at Octavia. But in a friendly way.

 

      Clarke just sighed, resigned to the fact that her night had come to an end. “Come on lady. Time to get you home and into bed.” She lifted Octavia from her lap and threw one of the girls arms around her shoulder to grab with her far hand while Clarke’s other arm went around her waist to support her. She was not quite as drunk as her friend and managed to stand, only slightly wobbly.

 

      Looking to Lexa, Clarke apologized with a grimace and glance at her friend who was nuzzling into Clarke’s neck, already half asleep.

 

      “Do you want to share a cab, Lexa? Seeing as we are going back to the same place and all.” Clarke couldn’t keep the hopeful inflection in her tone.

 

      “I’m afraid I can't. I have to make sure the rest of these guys stay safe so I’m going to stay with them until they wind down.” The cosplayer was still nursing her water although she shrugged apologetically with her statement.

 

      Clarke smiled at her in understanding. It seemed the two of them were the unofficial mother’s of their group and always ended up saddled with all the responsibilities when everyone was making terrible choices. Speaking of, Raven was standing on the couch readying herself to leap from it to a chair which had been placed about six feet away. 

 

      Nodding her head behind Lexa, Clarke addressed her again. “I feel like that’s a good idea. You might want to save Raven before she dies.” At this Lexa turned and saw her friend jump, too late to do anything. The other cosplayer fell flat on her face before raising her hand in the air to proclaim, “I meant to do that!”

 

      Lexa responded with a defeated sigh and slump to her shoulders. “It never ends. Goodnight Clarke. Text me when you two are back to the hotel safely, okay?”

 

      Clarke nodded in the affirmative before Lexa strode away to peel her own best friend from the floor much to said friends chagrin. Raven seemed to have decided that she and the floor were bosom buddies and if she left in that moment, it would feel betrayed. She had to stay where she was or she’d lose it’s trust. 

 

      Reaching the door with a still very much inebriated Octavia hanging from her, Clarke looked back one last time to see Lexa had lifted Raven bodily and had her flung over her shoulder. She was carrying on a conversation with Echo while Raven happily played paddy cake on Lexa’s butt cheeks.

 

      Seeing no other option but to laugh, Clarke didn’t fight the warm feeling that crept up her chest as she walked toward the taxi stand before throwing her friend into the back seat. They headed off in the direction of their hotel and blissful sleepy oblivion.


	6. Day Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dawn of the third day. Clarke is less than thrilled at the prospect of another day of walking crowded, smelly halls. Morning Octavia is a lovable turd of a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff. And I just realized that this is the second chapter I've released in less than a week that involves wrestling. The other was for my Hollstein fic but regardless, I definitely had characters wrestle in both. It's stupidly fun to write.
> 
> Please comment away, let me know what you think and what you'd like to see happen! I love that there is a core group of you I can rely on to comment on each chapter. Having feedback at all let alone from the same people each time is awesome. You guys are the best. <3

Although Octavia had been blasted the night before, she was still awake before Clarke. That’s girl’s internal clock really didn’t know how to recalibrate in extenuating circumstances.

 

She may have still been a little drunk since she was in that moment crawling into Clarke’s bed. She reached her friend and curled up with her knees to her chest, facing Clarke who was on her stomach with her head turned to the side. Octavia giggled to herself at the tiny bit of drool that had trickled out of Clarke’s mouth and she reached out her hand with her index finger extended, and poked Clarke in the forehead.

 

“Clarke.” Another poke.

 

“Claaarke.” A slightly harder poke.

 

She shifted and brought her own forehead to rest against Clarke’s and she changed tactics. She poked her cheek instead.

 

The pokes still elicited no response, if there was one thing her blonde friend was, it was a heavy sleeper. 

 

With a small huff of annoyance Octavia decided she had to bring out the big guns. So without a second thought she threw herself bodily on top of Clarke and started chanting her name in her ear.

 

“Clarke! Clarke! Clarke! Clarke!” Octavia continued her chant as she tickled the exposed hips of her best friend who was finally stirring.

 

“Octaviaaaaaaa. What are you doing?” The blonde opened one eye to the absolute minimum that would allow her to see the brunette squirming on top of her. She should have known better, really. Interacting with the beast only encouraged her.

 

Octavia’s face was absolutely gleeful as she took note of her now conscious friend. She looked down at Clarke momentarily and she bit her lip, mischief was evident if Clarke knew her at all.

 

The brunette looked down at their position again and smirked, wiggling her eyebrows at the blonde.

 

Clarke’s eyes widened comically. She knew what was coming next and although she’d never admit it, she thought Octavia’s tick of waking people up in her...... unique way was hysterical. Clarke whispered her next sentence in mock horror. “Octavia, NO. You wouldn’t dare.” That was the nail in the coffin and she knew it. Egging Octavia on was one of her favourite activities.

 

Giggling like a maniac Octavia let out a battle cry and started dry humping Clarke at an alarming pace. Clarke joined her in her hysterics and laughed far harder than most (sane) people did that early in the morning. She allowed the activity for a moment before she fought back.

 

Twisting her body quickly she grabbed the arms of her best friend and pulled her to her chest where she used her full strength and squeezed her arms, effectively (softly) crushing Octavia. The smaller girl let out a breathy wheeze before she thrust her arms up between their bodies and through Clarke’s arms as she rested one forearm across Clarke’s throat, wrapping the other around the blonde’s squirming shoulders.

 

Clarke sucked in a breath through her teeth as she grinned maniacally. She bucked her hips violently very suddenly and while Octavia was still airborne she brought up her legs so the brunette landed on them, hip to knee. 

 

Never one to back down from a challenge, Octavia laughed throatily as she and Clarke wrestled, eventually rolling and falling to the floor between their beds. Clarke landed on Octavia and she allowed her body to go limp, acting as though she was simply going to go back to sleep.

 

“Claaaaaarke. Day three awaits! Get your lazy ass up and lets gooooo!” Octavia pushed Clarke with force, almost lodging her under a bed. The brunette stood up and grabbed some clothes before turning to regard her friend.

 

Clarke had taken advantage of her position and she rolled fully under the bed, which surprisingly wasn’t dirty. It seemed the cleaning staff of this particular hotel were very thorough. There was nothing hiding under there and the floor was vacuumed recently. Thus, she didn’t feel gross for being there. And bonus, Octavia couldn’t tackle her under there.

 

From her cave she saw Octavia’s feet come over and move out of sight again as the girl got down on her knees and peered under the bed at the lazy blonde.

 

“Dude. It’ll be kind of hard for you to come with me from under there.” She smiled crookedly, thoroughly enjoying the lengths Clarke would go to in order to remain sleeping.

 

Clarke groaned before replying. “Go without me today. I don’t want to see any of the panels that you’re going to and I already bought stuff.” She sleepily gazed at her friend, trying to gauge her reaction. She hoped Octavia wouldn’t be upset but she really didn’t have it in her to walk around a hall she had no business in for a third day in a row.

 

Thankfully the only emotion Clarke saw on her friends face was understanding. Early in their relationship it had taken Octavia a while to figure out Clarke’s moods and motivations, in fact they had sorta been enemies in high school. Two extremely opinionated and headstrong women, both vying for the captains position on their soccer team? Yeah, you can imagine the drama. 

 

Then they had both attended an afterparty for the schools football team and had been dragged into a game of spin the bottle. They had been 17 years old and of course as fate would have it, one spun the bottle and it landed on the other. Amidst the cheering, oooohs and suspense in the room, they shared a look that said, ‘I don’t like living up to expectations and they’re all expecting us to fight. Let’s do the opposite instead, mmkay?’

 

And thus Octavia had crawled across the circle and planted one directly on Clarke’s lips. There were hoots and hollers and a few punches on the arms by their friends who were shocked but they both just laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. They’d started hanging out after that and although there was a steep learning curve, they became inseparable. 

 

There had been a few bumps on the road to where they were now, there was no doubt about that. Octavia tended to be ruled by her emotions and although Clarke certainly had a bit of that herself, she tended to let logic overrule those feelings. So when it came to big decisions they often went head to head, just like they had back when they were enemies. They still did occasionally but they usually made up quickly and had netflix binges with pints of ben and jerry’s and lots of cuddling.

 

So to say Clarke was relieved when Octavia didn’t look mad about her ditching out that day would be an understatement.

 

“Got it.” Octavia then pushed herself from the floor for the second time that morning and headed into their shared bathroom for a shower.

 

Clarke considered staying under the bed for a moment before dismissing the idea. She had already slept funny while the other day and she did not want a repeat of how she felt after that. Although, the end result of that bad decision was Lexa soooo... she couldn’t really regret it.

 

So she clawed her way out from under the bed, looking like some supernatural boogeyman from a B horror film and she pulled herself up to the mattress where she flopped lengthwise across the fluffy expanse of nirvana.

 

Not much later Octavia emerged from the bathroom and in a stark juxtaposition of her friend, steam erupted from behind her and haloed her, making her look like some sort of goddess. Clarke didn’t appreciate that she was only slightly drunk and looked like death while Octavia had been completely hammered and looked like the epitome of beauty.

 

Grinning down at the blonde who hadn’t bothered to even situate herself properly on the bed (honestly the woman was always tired and never slept in a normal fashion, often times just passing out wherever she found herself.) Octavia leaned down and crossed her arms on the side of the bed, dropping her chin to rest on them. She gazed at the sleep addled face of Clarke and waited for sleepy eyes to open and (sort of) focus on her.

 

“Have fun while I’m gone, don’t get into any trouble or there’ll be hell to pay. I’ll text you when I get there, alright?” She stood up straight and ruffled the blonde mop of hair splayed around Clarke’s head.

 

Clarke just grunted in response, already far enough into dreamland to be incapable of human speech.

 

***

 

She didn’t sleep much longer, only another two hours. She woke feeling semi-refreshed and she decided to get dressed and head down to the hotel restaurant for something to eat.

 

Clarke didn’t bother dressing up much, she wasn’t leaving the premises after all. Throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top she grabbed her wallet, phone and room key before she stepped into her high tops and left the room.

 

They were on the fifth floor so she deigned to take the elevator even though going down stairs was barely an effort. The contraption moved slowly and dinged sharply when it reached the main level.

 

Stepping out, Clarke turned left from the embankment of elevators and strode through the archway into the little grille where she was seated rather quickly, much to her pleasure.

 

The waiter dropped off a glass of water and a menu and Clarke ordered even before she had left. The biggest breakfast they had was right up her alley so long as it had waffles and eggs.

 

She was halfway through her apple juice while waiting for her meal when she felt something hit her smack dab in the middle of the back of her head. She turned slowly, wearing her best glare when she spotted the culprit. Her glare dissolved into a smile as she saw Raven readying a second grape on her spoon. The girl was only a table away and thus situated about 8 feet behind Clarke. She didn’t know how she had missed her when she came in.

 

“Raven. Being a pest I see. What are you doing here? I figured you’d be at the expo hall with the rest of your group.” Clarke turned fully to regard the other girl who had instead plopped the grape into her mouth once she saw she had Clarke’s attention.

 

Raven just shrugged, a crooked smile adorning her features. “I took the day off since we don’t have any appearances. Being in costume for 10 hours out of the day is exhausting and I’ll take any opportunity to rest my leg. Plus, we’re all sort of hungover.” She plopped another grape into her mouth.

 

Clarke noticed Raven smack a hand on a brace wrapped around her left leg as she spoke. She hadn’t realized that the contraption she had seen when the girl was costumed as Gaige was real. Clarke had thought it was a part of the costume but seeing it now she realized she had made an assumption. Clarke was slightly embarrassed that she hadn’t noticed it the previous night either when first Raven was dancing for her with Lexa and Anya and then later when they were all hanging out. She came to the conclusion that she had been altogether too focused on Lexa and she would definitely be working on that in the future.

 

Glancing around the room Clarke didn’t see any of the others around. And of course, Raven picked up the movement and her grin became far more amused. “She isn’t with me.”

 

Clarke looked to Raven and pasted on her best ‘I’m innocent’ face. “I’m sorry, who?”

 

“Cut the crap blondie, you have a giant lady boner for Commander broody. She isn’t with me right now. She went to the gym, she was going to get food after.” Raven just laughed good naturedly.

 

Sighing, Clarke realized she had been nothing if not obvious. “Sorry. You’re awesome too, seriously. I am actually glad she isn’t here at the moment, I didn’t do a thing to look presentable today.” Clarke wrinkled her nose down at herself, causing Raven to chuckle.

 

“Trust me, you look miles better then we do after taking off armour that has been strapped to us for a whole day. Lexa wouldn’t bat an eyelash. Speaking of her though, I need to say something to you.” All humour dropped from Raven’s face as she regarded Clarke with an intensity she had only seen matched in Lexa. It was unnerving and Clarke gulped audibly.

 

“I want to preface this by saying I also think you’re awesome and I think we should totally be friends. Barring that though, Lexa has a thing for you.” Clarke almost smiled at that but she held it in at the doubled intensity in Raven’s gaze when the blonde got too comfortable. “And as her best friend I have to tell you that if you hurt her in any way, shape or form. I will cut you. Seriously, don’t doubt the truth in my words. That girl may act like this strong and intimidating person but underneath she is soft and gooey and hurt easily. So treat her right, or you’ll have me to answer to.” Raven pointed her thumbs at herself, raising her eyebrows at Clarke who just nodded her head in a macabre imitation of a bobble head.

 

It seemed that wasn’t enough for Raven and she raised her eyebrows even further, still staring intently at Clarke.

 

The blonde coughed nervously. “Of course. Yes, I’ll be careful. You don’t have anything to worry about Raven. I like her too, as you’ve already guessed.” Clarke laughed nervously, shrugging her shoulders in an apprehensive manner.

 

At this the cosplayers glare softened and she grinned at Clarke, all menacing expressions gone as though they had never existed.

 

Releasing a breath in relief, Clarke was saved any more embarrassment by the arrival of her breakfast. She smiled and waved at Raven who was getting up to leave, check in hand. Turning to her meal Clarke smiled to herself, forgetting for a moment the mortal fear she had just felt.

 

_Lexa has a thing for me._

 


	7. Day Three - Afternoon/Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Octavia gets to know her and Clarke's new friends while Clarke enjoys an afternoon on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PRESENT. I have either been on planes or in airports all day so I got some writing done. Hence, a surprise chapter for all you lovelies! It's a solid 3200 words so please enjoy and comment away!

      Clarke finished her breakfast rather quickly, she never was one to dawdle. She paid for her food and went back up to her room, deciding she’d take advantage of her afternoon off and wander around the city. They’d road tripped a few hours to get to this particular Expo (according to Octavia it was the best one within 10 hours and if they went to any it had to be this one) and Clarke had no intention of coming to a different city and leaving without taking in any of the sights.

 

She changed into a pair of denim shorts and a blue button down shirt, pairing her high tops with the outfit. Clarke took a cursory look around their hotel room, taking in the small disaster that was Octavia’s half. The girl didn’t know the meaning of minimalism and so a gigantic suitcase with clothes spilling out of the sides was sitting in the middle of the floor near the air conditioner, and Clarke couldn’t have told you what was clean and what wasn’t.

 

With a chuckle she left the room, venturing to the front desk to inquire about where the best tourist locations were.

 

She found herself on an avenue littered with little shops and boutiques, all of them independent mom and pop type stores. She found it extremely quaint and she window shopped for a while before setting herself down at a table in a small bistro with a book, prepared to while away the hours until Octavia texted her to meet for dinner.

 

***

 

The Expo halls were absolutely packed that day and really, Octavia shouldn’t have been surprised. It was a Saturday and thus the most popular time for the single day goers to appear. The weekend pass holders such as herself at least had had the presence of mind to show up first thing while everyone else showed up around noon. Thankfully, she was an expert at crowd maneuvering.

 

Lunch had come and passed along with a few panels, and Octavia was heading to the main concourse having seen Lexa and her friends from a distance. They had waved her down and she saluted them with a grin before weaving through the myriad of sweaty B.O. ridden bodies but before she had quite reached them, she felt someone grip her firmly around the waist from behind.

 

Reacting out of pure instinct, Octavia threw her elbow back and into the abdomen of the individual as she rounded on them with her fist pulled back preparing to deliver a mean right hook.

 

Much to her shock she saw her boyfriend Lincoln standing there in full Reaver gear, gripping his middle in pain as he half grimaced and half smiled at his violent girlfriend.

 

“Hey babe.” He wheezed out with a little wave.

 

Instead of hugging or greeting him the way most people probably would upon seeing their significant other after a few days apart, she punched him in the arm. Hard.

 

“What the fuck Lincoln? You should know by now not to sneak up on me like that.” Out of the corner of her eye Octavia caught sight of Lexa and her group reaching her. The taller brunette was glaring daggers at Lincoln, apparently ready to spring to Octavia’s defence should she need to.

 

Without tearing her gaze from the man now trying to ease his two new battle wounds, she addressed the irate girlfriend. “Is this man bothering you Octavia?” She spoke with barely concealed venom, the intensity of her glare never wavering.

 

“Seriously? I try to surprise my girlfriend and all I get is pain and threats?” Lincoln withered under Lexa’s glare and Octavia smiled a little at the sight. She was liking Lexa more and more as events unfolded.

 

For all that she would love to take advantage of her newfound ally she decided her boyfriend had suffered enough. For the moment.

 

Lexa averted her gaze from the squirming man, eyeing Octavia and waiting for an explanation.

 

“Nah I’m good, thanks though Lexa. This actually is my boyfriend. But he definitely deserved my attack. A guy should know better than to grab a girl without announcing his presence.” She shot a glare of her own at Lincoln who was sulking slightly before she changed her tune as though her previous mood had never existed.

 

That was all the warning he got before she launched herself onto him, his hands coming around to grip her thighs which were now wrapped around his hips. With a giggle she cupped her hands around his cheeks and pressed her lips to his own grinning set. The kiss was chaste seeing as they were in public and there were children in the very nearby vicinity. They were already getting death glares for the public display of affection and Octavia didn’t relish the idea of being spoken to by the Expo staff who took such matters very seriously. They had gotten in trouble at the last one they attended together and for all that she personally didn’t have a single fuck to give about anyone else’s backwards feelings towards affection, she did have a problem with authority figures and it wasn’t unlikely that she would get them kicked out if any sort of confrontation with staff were to come about.

 

The kiss left her lips tingly and she felt Lincoln’s stubble on her chin before she pulled away and dropped to her feet. She turned to see a thoroughly amused group of cosplayers watching them. She decided not to keep them in suspense and introduce everyone already.

 

Grabbing Lincoln’s hand in her own she turned to Lexa. “This is my boyfriend, Lincoln. Lincoln this is Lexa, Anya, Echo, Finn and Quint.” Each individual either nodded their head or waved at their name, sometimes with a smile. “And the sixth member of their group is missing. Where’s my Expo girlfriend Raven?” Ignoring the raised brow and amused twist of lips from Lincoln she looked to Lexa again, waiting for an explanation.

 

The green eyed brunette quirked her lips and rolled her eyes slightly with her words. “She took the day off. We don’t have any appearances today and her leg was acting up.”

 

“Right on. I saw her brace last night, she must have a rough go of it if she needs to rest it up every once in a while.”

 

“Not particularly, actually. Or at least not so much that she makes mention of it regularly. She never complains, only says she needs to opt out for a bit. Although to be fair, walking around for as many hours a day on concrete floors as we do isn’t even easy on those of us with perfectly healthy legs.” Lexa shrugged, dismissing the thought that her friend was any lesser than the rest of them based on something as trivial as her slightly less useful leg.

 

“Fair enough. So, what are you guys up to right now? Have you eaten lunch yet?” Octavia brushed the topic off, not concerned in the slightest about what others may consider a touchy subject. Had Raven been there she likely would have smirked at Octavia and made a joke about falling for the sporty brunette. Later when Lexa would tell her of the interaction, she would do exactly that before Lexa would warn her off with physical descriptions of Lincoln only to be rebuffed by the sassy woman with proclamations of her ability to ‘kick his ass and win the love of the princess.’ With a laugh Lexa would wash her hands of any responsibility if Raven came back with war wounds.

 

Glancing around her group, Lexa replied. “No we haven’t. We were going to head out and find a restaurant or pub to eat at if you and Lincoln would like to join us?”

 

Octavia turned to her boyfriend who had been silent throughout the whole interaction. He smiled and nodded his head, agreeing to the offer.

 

She turned back to the group with a wide smile. “Lead the way!”

 

***

 

Octavia and the rest had found a small pub and waited a few minutes for a table for 7 to be cleared. After catching up with Lincoln on the trip over, she determined she had the best of boyfriends since he travelled down from Tondeecee for that day only just to surprise her even though he worked the following morning.

 

Upon arriving they chatted amongst themselves and Lincoln and Lexa seemed to be getting along, they had found common ground in their shared love of Firefly. Lexa was thoroughly impressed with his Reaver outfit and as fate would have it, her group were done up as the crew of Serenity so they looked to be one large unit. Lexa was of course, dressed as Mal. She cut a strong figure in the high waisted pants, red shirt, and long browncoat paired with the prop pistol. Anya was Zoe, Echo was Kaylee, Finn was Wash, and Quint was fittingly outfitted as Jayne. Raven normally dressed as River and they only ever had a Simon when they were in their hometown and they could strong-arm one of their local friends into coming along.

 

As they were seated Octavia looked the odd one out which was kind of hysterical seeing as she was the only one to be garbed in ‘normal’ clothes. But they didn’t get many strange looks as it seemed this was a popular haunt with Expo goers. Most of the people in the pub were either in costume or toting bags proclaiming their nerdiness. 

 

She ended up sitting with Lincoln on her left side and Echo on her right. Lexa sat directly across from Lincoln and Anya was across from Octavia. Finn was on Echo’s other side while Quint sat next to Anya and across from Echo.

 

While Lincoln and Lexa continued their discussion regarding the politics of the alliance and the rebels, Octavia turned to Echo since she didn’t really feel like Anya was much of a talker and Quint and Finn were seated too far to hear well in the loud establishment.

 

“So, Echo. You’re a hell of a dancer. I quite enjoyed your lap dance last night. You were much better then the other two. Thanks for that.” She laid it out plainly, with a cheeky grin.

 

Echo laughed heartily, mirth glinting in her eyes. “No problem, you’re likely the easiest lap dance I’ve ever given actually. You didn’t try to cop a feel and you’re definitely not hard on the eyes.”

 

Octavia conceded the truth in Echo’s words with a self aware shrug. She had long passed the point of arguing compliments from people and she just took them in stride now, neither dismissing them or letting them get to her head. 

 

“I imagine you guys all have day jobs outside of costuming and dancing. What is it you guys all do and how do you know each other?” Octavia propped her elbow on the table and leaned her head on her hand, giving the woman her undivided attention.

 

“I’m a bouncer by trade. That’s how we get so many appearances at pubs and bars wherever we find ourselves. I’ve made quite a few connections since I tend to fill in at a bunch of different places.” Octavia appraises the woman with new eyes, impressed and excited at the prospect of another woman who might put up a good fight. She was always looking for sparring partners. “Lexa is a self defence teacher and works in a dojo with Anya who specializes more in offence and jumps from one type of martial art to another on a daily basis. Finn is an interpreter and translator and works a lot in diplomatic relations for local governments. He’s good at talking and smoothing out wrinkles between smarmy business people. Quint is an exotic dancer. And Raven is a mechanic.” Echo wore a smile full of warmth as she eyed her companions as she continued her explanation. “We all met at varying times over the past decade at this or that Expo. Lexa and Anya have been friends since high school where I assume they never interacted with their classmates. They generally aren’t the social type, being in an environment surrounded by like minded people brings out their more interactive sides. Lexa and Raven met about 6 years ago just out of high school. They were at a college party where Raven was drunk and she decided that Lexa’s lap was a good place to sit and take a nap. They had never met and Lexa had this stranger crawl over to her and curl up against her.” Octavia stifled a laugh hearing the story. Echo smiled and laughed. “You can imagine Lexa’s reaction. As Raven tells it she tried to ‘politely tell the hot stranger in her lap to leave.’ Raven being Raven she just patted Lexa on the cheek and said ‘Shhhhhh... Just let it happen.’ Then she fell asleep.” Echo was chuckling and Octavia was flat out laughing her ass off. It sounded like the woman she knew from the night before. “And as for me and the boys, we met them at Expo’s where we liked each others costumes and the rest is history.”

 

Reigning in her amusement, Octavia narrowed her eyes. “As awesome as all that is and I will of course be making fun of Raven when I see her next, you’re telling me that you, Lexa and Anya all have physical jobs that require you to be in peak physical condition and you could probably kill a guy? Why is this the first I’m hearing of this? What city do you all live in?” She sat forward eagerly, hoping desperately that they were close-ish to where she and Clarke lived.

 

Echo smiled at the enthusiasm and replied with a nonchalant shrug. “We’re here and there. The four of us girls live in Tondeecee but Finn is in Polis, while Quint is from the coast.”

 

A face splitting grin spread across Octavia’s face. “Dude. Clarke and I live in Tondeecee. Would you and the others be down to work out with me? I’m always looking for new sparring partners. Fighting Lincoln gets old after a while.” The man in question absentmindedly elbowed her in the side while not neglecting his conversation with Lexa.

 

Octavia let out a quiet ooof as Echo responded very positively. “Yeah absolutely, I’d be down. I can’t speak for the others but I know they always ask me to spar with them so I’d hazard a guess and say they’d be amenable to it.”

 

“Fantastic! Here, let me give you my number and we can text or whatever.” Octavia reached out her hand expectantly, waiting for Echo’s phone. The woman chuckled at how endearingly forward Octavia managed to be and retrieved it from one of the many pockets on her patched coveralls and passed it over after opening a new contact.

 

Quickly entering her information, Octavia sent herself a text so she’d have Echo’s number as well. She had an ulterior motive as well as her own interest in the woman, she thought she’d get along quite well with her older brother Bellamy. She had plans already for a little matchmaking in her spare time.

 

The seven people ate their lunch and chatted amicably for a little while before they headed their separate ways with plans to meet for dinner later. The group back to the convention and Octavia to go meet Clarke in town. She’d have to thank Clarke for introducing her to that big group of goobers.

 

***

 

Clarke got a text from Octavia around four, apparently she’d had an interesting late lunch and she was dying to share some ‘hot intel’ with her. Those were her words, not Clarke’s. 

 

So she waited in the bistro, content to try and finish the book she’d only started a few hours prior. Unsurprisingly her first hint of Octavia’s arrival was the girl draping herself across Clarke’s shoulders and resting her chin in the crook of Clarke’s neck. Had she been waiting for anyone else she may have been shocked and possibly frightened but since it was Octavia, all she did was smile and roll her eyes.

 

“Sup’ homie.” Octavia planted a kiss on Clarke’s cheek, and plopped herself down on the chair next to her.

 

“Eh, not much. Almost finished my book.” Clarke responded to her best friend lazily, feeling lethargic after an afternoon of espressos, sun and reading.

 

Octavia made an unladylike sound effect, similar to what you’d hear from a whoopee cushion. “Boring. I’m taking you out tonight.”

 

Clarke sighed. “We went out last night. Why do we have to do it again?” There was a slight whine in her voice and Octavia gave her a kick in the shin for it. “Dude, ouch!” She rubbed her abused extremity and scowled at the brunette.

 

“Because I said so. Now, let’s get back to the hotel so I can pick out something for you to wear.” Without a care the girl stood up and strode out of the bistro, clearly assuming Clarke was behind her.

 

The blonde let out another sigh followed by a breathy chuckle. Sometimes she didn’t even know how she kept up with the other girl.

 

***

 

Octavia had planned to meet the cosplay group for a late dinner at the same pub as the previous night and she was in the midst of yet again dressing Clarke. The girl would live in sweatpants and tank tops if she had anything to say about it. Luckily (or unluckily according to Clarke) she had Octavia who shouldered the responsibility of making her look like a human at least on a semi-regular basis.

 

She put Clarke in a button down shirt that was a myriad of pastel colours and she made her shave her legs and put on a pair of jean shorts to go along with the same jacket as the night before. Octavia herself also wore jean shorts but she paired them with Clarke’s red tank top (much to the blonde’s chagrin and loud protest) and a pair of black stilettos. She also wore her leather jacket that she’d worn the night before.

 

Although she’d never admit it (in fact she made sure to speak the opposite on the regular) Clarke actually recognized Octavia’s fashion skills as decidedly more advanced than her own. She even considered making Octavia her own personal stylist but she conceded to herself that she’d never live down the ego trip that would most assuredly come along with the admission. It was much more fun to make the girl’s life a living hell.

 

They hopped in a cab after doing their makeup and making sure their hair was presentable, seeing as the rented car was still sitting in the lot from the night before. Clarke volunteered to stay sober that night so they could drive it back. The things she did for her best friend.

 

Reaching their destination they paid their cabbie and clambered out of the vehicle to see the rest of their party waiting outside for them. As they were walking over Clarke realized she hadn’t asked Octavia what the ‘hot intel’ she’d learned was. She pondered it for only a moment before her eyes found Lexa amongst the group.

 

They were not in costume for once and she had to say, they cleaned up _well._

 

The only thought that went through Clarke’s mind was this:

 

_God fucking dammit, is she_ **_trying_ ** _to kill me???_

 


	8. Day Three - Evening/Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We spend a little time in Lexa's head as the group interacts in what will no doubt become their haunt in this city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there is some music in this one and a lot of the chapter is spent in Lexa's head. Some in Clarke's as well but I didn't delineate between thoughts since I'm not actually expressing strict and direct thoughts in normal text. Since we're observers I felt like it wasn't necessary. If my format doesn't make sense, please let me know and I'll fix it. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this one! It's pretty fluffy but I am in love with it so. Take it as it is and do what you will with it. And as per usual, comment away! I love reading them and you guys are the best for following this so closely and consistently telling me what you think. I love you nerds. <3

      While the whole group looked fantastic in regular clothes and Clarke would readily admit it, Lexa looked positively _tasty_ and no lie, Clarke could feel her mouth watering.

 

      Clarke’s eyes started at the ground and took in Lexa’s ever present combat boots, then a _tight_ pair of leather pants of all things (LEATHER FUCKING PANTS), followed by a loose forest green drop neck sleeveless top which proudly displayed some pretty fantastic cleavage. Not that Clarke was looking of course. *cough cough* Finally her gaze found it’s way up to Lexa’s face which was wearing makeup which included knee weakening smoky eyes and light pink lipgloss. And those sparkling green eyes were devouring Clarke with just as much fervour as the blonde’s.

 

      Eventually one heated stare met another and Clarke could have sworn she saw electricity. But alas, their moment was ruined by none other than Octavia and Raven who were standing a few feet away and facing the brunette and blonde. Octavia’s arm was around Raven’s waist while the other girl had her arm slung over Octavia’s shoulders. They were grinning and giggling like idiots while watching Clarke and Lexa have eye sex.

 

      Raven angled her mouth to be level with Octavia’s ear as though to whisper but she spoke at a normal volume anyway simply to mess with the two bothered girls. “I give em until the end of the weekend to hook up.”

 

      Octavia wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips. “Nah, I say tonight.” She turned her head to smile challengingly at Raven who unsurprisingly rose to said challenge with her reply. “Winner buys the other drinks when we’re back in our own city?”

 

      Jutting out her hand to shake, Octavia agreed with a sharp head nod.

 

      Upon seeing and hearing this exchange, Clarke rolled her eyes and smirked at Lexa who looked down in a show of shyness as a blush coloured her cheeks. This only emboldened Clarke who strode over to Lexa and wound her arm around the other girl’s, leaning herself fully into her side. Lexa straightened her back and tried to fight the pleased smile that she felt trying to plaster itself on her face. So instead she narrowed her eyes at the blonde and flexed her bicep which was being held in a firm grip.

 

      Clarke just chuckled lowly at the show of strength before her expression changed. She looked at Raven with her eyebrows furrowed adorably in confusion. “Wait. You said ‘when we’re back in our own city.’ Do you live in Tondeecee?”

 

      “What, did Octavia not tell you? Lexa, Anya, Echo and I all live in Tondeecee. I’m surprised if she didn’t. She seemed pretty keen on relaying that information earlier.” Raven laughed her answer, her face lighting up with glee. She looked to Octavia and shook her shoulders in her arm.

 

      Clarke’s best friend had the grace to look slightly mollified. “Yeah. About that. Sorry Clarke, I was totally going to tell you but Lincoln leaving to go back home kinda sidetracked me. We needed to have a proper goodbye after all.” She grinned salaciously and waggled her eyebrows at Clarke who just sighed and pouted, used to the antics after all this time.

 

      Raven laughed. “Oh no, did he have to leave? What a shame, I guess that means you’re alllll miiiine tonight.” She hip checked Octavia who just pinched the exposed skin of Raven’s hip (the girl was wearing a red crop top paired with dark wash cutoffs and chucks) and elicited a yelp of surprise out of the girl.

 

      Clarke just shook her head in amusement at the two and turned to regard Lexa who had stayed silent through the whole interaction. The taller brunette had a barely there smile playing at her lips while watching her friend with her newer friend. Feeling eyes on her though she adjusted her line of sight and locked eyes with Clarke.

 

      “Clarke. Would you like a drink?” She tilted her head to the side in a ridiculously cute question.

 

      The blonde chuckled again and nodded her assent, she was quickly guided into the building with Raven and Octavia following closely behind. The rest of the costume group already had a table which was unsurprisingly ideally located close to the bar and had a great view of the stage. Some band was playing a live show tonight so it would get loud an crowded later but none of them really minded.

 

      They all seated themselves and not much later they were paired off in separate conversations. Raven was gesticulating wildly and telling a story to Echo who was laughing heartily. Finn and Quint weren’t talking much but they were communicating with each other. Lexa and Clarke were obviously enthralled with each other. This left Octavia and Anya who was surprisingly, animatedly describing something or other to the girl.

 

      Food was eaten, drinks were had and everyone had a great time. Although Clarke was slightly exasperated with the consistent attempts by Finn to involve her in conversation on many occasions. They guy was like a dog with a bone and Clarke found the way he spoke to be grating on her nerves. He said absolutely everything with an earnest inflection and on a strong exhale, making his words sound like proclamations. So. Fucking. Annoying. Thankfully Lexa came to her rescue each time and the brunette hadn’t even needed to say anything. She just glared daggers through Finn and he shrank slightly under her scrutiny and retreated. Clarke found it unendingly amusing. Also, Lexa’s death glare was stupidly hot and was doing a lot for her.

 

      Later the band took the stage and played well for the occupants of the pub, they interacted with people in between sets and were altogether really good at what they do.

 

      The group stayed at the pub all evening and well into the night and as it wore on, Clarke and Lexa were sitting closer and closer to each other, and used the band on stage as an excuse to touch and gaze heatedly at each other as it was too loud to speak at a normal volume. They leaned in to each other and spoke close enough to allow lips to graze the shell of an ear, or a nose to nuzzle into a cheek. Lexa’s arm was stretched across the back of Clarke’s chair while the blonde’s hand was sat on Lexa’s thigh. They stayed that close even when the band was in between songs and they could have interacted in a more conventional manner, or at least until the pub was announcing last call and the group went outside prepared to call it a night.

 

      The two girls walked arm in arm outside and instantly felt refreshed for the light breeze and lowered sun. Clarke tilted her head back and closed her eyes, breathing in the cool air.

 

      She felt a tremble in Lexa and opened her eyes, observing the taller girl with curious eyes.

 

      Lexa was looking skyward with a smile in her eyes and her lips parted. She was shivering in the night’s cold so Clarke removed her jacket, draping it across Lexa’s strong back. The brunette looked to Clarke quizzically, prepared to refuse it but Clarke’s stern expression didn’t allow for debate. So she just twitched her lips in a small smile, her face going soft in her thanks.

 

      Clarke smiled warmly at her and squeezed Lexa’s arm in an action that Lexa found increasingly endearing after the blonde having repeated it a few times throughout the course of the night.

 

      Most of the group hailed cabs and went their way after a quick goodbye but Clarke was quick to address Lexa before she left.

 

      “Hey Lexa, Octavia and I are heading back in our rental car. How about catching a ride so you don’t have to cab it?” She pitched the end of the sentence in a question, hoping that this time Lexa would agree.

 

      Before the brunette had a chance to reply, Octavia Raven and Echo walked up to them and Raven spoke up. “Yes please Clarkey! You can fit all three of us right? We don’t have any cash left after all the alcohol and food and we didn’t bring plastic to pay with.” She smiled endearingly at the blonde, widening her eyes to puppy like proportions.

 

      Octavia and Echo nodded their heads in agreement, very seemingly sober considering how unbelievably drunk they were. Their facial expressions were serious and almost grim in their assessment of the situation.

 

      Lexa just chuckled and agreed. “Yes Clarke, that would be favourable. Thank you.”

 

      Smiling Clarke led the group across the street and helped the three significantly drunk women into the back seat where they promptly leaned on each other and fell asleep. Lexa got into the passenger seat in the front as she was only slightly tipsy. She hadn’t allowed herself to get beyond the pleasant warmth of a small buzz, she liked to keep her mental facilities intact, especially considering she had the opportunity to interact with Clarke.

 

      Clarke started the car and headed out. After getting up to speed she reached over to the centre console and turned on the radio to an alt station, keeping the volume low so as not to disturb those passed out in the back of the car.

 

     She hummed along to Letters From the Sky by Civil Twilight and Lexa leaned her head against the glass of the window, staring up at the stars again with a minuscule smile playing across her lips.

 

      Although she fully expected an inquisition from Octavia the next day, Clarke was sure of one thing. She certainly wouldn’t be telling her friend that when she looked at Lexa being open and soft she felt a fluttering in her chest. Or that when the woman touched her in any capacity she felt like her skin was on fire. Or that she found Lexa’s constant attempt to mask her emotions endearing because Clarke seemed to get a sneak peek into her head when their eyes met, like Lexa couldn’t help allowing Clarke that glimpse. Or that when Lexa gazed at her with intent she felt her brain going fuzzy and the only thing that made sense was the chemistry between the two.

 

      No, those thoughts and feelings belonged to her and she wouldn’t, couldn’t, share them. It would feel like a violation of whatever it was between her and the normally stoic woman. It was special and she wasn’t going to tarnish that with gossip.

 

      The song ended and the next song that came on Clarke couldn’t help but sing along to. She kept her voice pitched low but Lexa heard her regardless and she looked over at the girl with surprise and affection, dazzled by the beauty in that moment.

 

      Clarke sang along quietly to Inside These Lines by Trent Dabbs and her voice was pitch perfect, low and husky. Lexa was sure that in other circumstances she’d find it extremely sexy but there in the car, driving under the occasional streetlamp which briefly lighted up Clark’s calm features, the stars making themselves bright and known, and their friends sleeping soundly behind them, Lexa only felt contentment and warmth. 

 

      It was followed in succession by a fierce possessiveness and Lexa’s eyes flashed in realization.

 

      She gulped and averted her gaze, startled by the actual depth of emotion she experienced so suddenly. It had been clear almost immediately that she was immensely attracted to Clarke and as they had continued to interact she found that the company of the blonde was just as favourable as her physical attributes. But such intense emotions were not exactly expected. She hadn’t felt that way since... well.

 

      Honestly it was scary for her. But she conceded, also thrilling. She _wanted_ to know Clarke and she hoped the girl would allow her to continue learning about her. It wasn’t just about hormones anymore, she now felt invested.

 

      Lexa internally scoffed at herself, they had only met two days ago, how could she have progressed this much in such a short period of time?

 

      But she supposed, meeting someone who could do those sorts of things to you was never convenient or expected. You couldn’t prepare and you couldn’t defend yourself from the onslaught of your own psyche. You just had to accept the positive as it was given and hope it continued. The rest was just improvisation and commitment.

 

      A new song had begun and she returned her gaze to the beautiful girl who had again started to sing along, slightly louder now. 

 

      _To look like you and me forever as we’re now_

 

_And I’m shaking then I’m still_

_When your eyes meet mine I lose simple skills_

_Like to tell you all I want is now_

 

_You sing and I’m killed_

_I’m just not the same_

 

_As I was a year ago and each minute since then_

 

      Lexa felt her breath leave her lungs as she connected with the lyrics, feeling like they expressed exactly how she felt a few minutes ago. Hearing them from the lips of the woman she felt for was the determining moment for her.

 

      All she could do now was hold on, try, and hope for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last song is Set Down Your Glass by Snow Patrol and it always fills me with feels. Every damn time.


	9. Day Four / Day Five - Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group spend their last day in the city where the Comic Expo was held before heading off the following morning to get back to their 'real' lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just needed an excuse to write more adorable Octavia and Raven. There is Clexa in this chapter obviously but the next one will be aaaallllll them so I had to make the most of the opportunity this chapter provided.
> 
> Please, comment away! And I don't think I've ever said this but if you guys have prompt ideas, message me on tumblr and I'll do the occasional one shot for you. My tumblr is the same as my username here. =]

      Clarke woke up the following morning (who was she kidding, it was early afternoon by that point) feeling less than 100 percent. Everything hurt and for a split second she couldn’t figure out why. 

 

      She quickly discovered the reason when she tried to move. There was a heavy weight resting across her abdomen and her head was pillowed on a less than comfortable surface which turned out to be Octavia’s hip. The weight turned out to be Lexa. Turning her head, Clarke saw Raven and Echo passed out on Octavia’s bed. They were spooning.

 

      Feeling confused Clarke dug around her brain for an explanation. She remembered arriving back at the hotel where Octavia and Raven promptly announced that they were unfit for walking. Which lead to Clarke and Lexa giving the girls piggy back rides, which then lead to Echo deciding they had to race to the room and she would decide the winner. Octavia and Raven were on board with the plan immediately and started kicking their heels into the girls’ thighs and yelling ‘Giddy up!’ at the top of their lungs. By this point Clarke and Lexa were staring each other down, turns out they were both fiercely competitive. A mad dash to the elevator suite ensued and Clarke (with Raven perched on her back) managed to get in just before Lexa and Echo proclaimed only one team to an elevator as she joined them inside the contraption. Clarke had grinned victoriously as the doors closed. Little did she know that Lexa had been a track star in high school and she kept that up plus her defensive training. So when Clarke and Raven got out of the elevator on their floor and saw the door to the staircase slam open to reveal Lexa sprinting down the hall towards the room with a howling Octavia on her back, she may have panicked a bit. Raven’s feet had pounded a rhythm on her legs as she yelled directly into Clarke’s ear to ‘CHAAAAAAARGE!!!!’ and they flew down the hall as well. 

 

      It was a weird semi-drunk (for the riders anyway) version of chicken and neither girl was backing down. Slowing down wasn’t an option and as they closed in it became apparent that stopping wasn’t in the plan for either party.

 

      So when they collided and all four of them were thrown messily across the hallway, who was surprised? Certainly not Echo who only tutted and walked over them to insert the keycard which, where had she gotten that from? She pushed the door open and looked down to the sprawled out and hysterical women on the floor. The only words out of her mouth were, “Amateurs.” before she walked in leaving the door open.

 

      Following the obvious tie, the five women raided the mini fridge and all got pleasantly drunk, somehow leading to a veritable dog pile on Clarke’s bed which resulted in her current situation.

 

     Clarke chuckled and tried to remove herself so she could find food. That proved to be a mistake on her part.

 

      After trying once again to dislodge Lexa and get off of Octavia, she woke the two up. Or at least, they were as awake as any decent human would be at about noon on a Sunday. Octavia and Lexa were adorably confused at first as they both looked towards Clarke but their expressions morphed too quickly for it to mean anything good.

 

      “Oh no.” Were the only words Clarke managed to utter before they pounced. From her position Octavia wrapped her body around Clarke’s head, wrapping one arm under her chin and placing her legs to one ear and her boobs to the other. Meanwhile Lexa adjusted her position on top of her to straddle the woman and place her full weight across her torso while also grabbing hold of her wrists and holding them firmly down.

 

      “Seriously??? Why do I always get tackled in the mornings? Why is this a thing?” Clarke whined from her prone position, not entirely displeased if she was being honest.

 

      Lexa didn’t respond, she had apparently gone back to sleep and was dead to the world for the unforeseeable future.

 

      “Because dude, you get this adorably horrified expression and your eyes go all wide. Plus you’re comfy.” She patted Clarke’s cheek with the hand that was wrapped around her head before she high five’d Lexa who was evidently awake enough to catch on to the comfy Clarke comment. 

 

      Following the exchange the two brunettes fell asleep again and Clarke conceded that she didn’t have much choice but to do the same, so she did too.

 

      The next time she woke up she was alone and according to the clock it was about 2pm. She stretched out all the kinks in her body and rolled over to see a note on the bedside table declaring that the four brunettes had gone to scavenge for food and they’d be back soon.

 

      Pleased with the current situation she decided to take advantage of it and she hopped in the shower, determined to wash the smell of alcohol out of her skin. She emerged 15 minutes later to see her friends sprawled across the beds once again but this time with take out. They had managed to find a Chinese place nearby and they loaded up.

 

      “There she is. How do you feel princess?” Raven crowed at her from Octavia’s bed where she was seated in between the brunette in questions legs with Octavia’s head planted firmly on her shoulder. They were eating out of their own containers with chopsticks while occasionally feeding a little bit to each other.

 

      “Pretty good actually. I don’t really get hangovers.” She shrugged as she plopped down between Echo and Lexa on her own bed. She picked up a random box of food and was pleased to discover it was Singapore noodles so she dug in with the last pair of chopsticks.

 

      “Nice. It would seem none of us do so that’s a bonus. You guys doing anything today?” Raven kept her mouth open after her sentence and Octavia obediently placed a piece of ginger pork into it.

 

      Clarke glanced at her best friend who only shrugged in response. “I think we’re just going to stay in today. We came, we saw, we bought a shit tonne of useless junk that we will defend unto our dying breaths. I think we’re good.” She nodded her head and adopted the ‘not bad’ face which made Lexa chuckle as she shovelled in some chicken fried rice. This only served to make Clarke smile widely.

 

      “Cool. Us girls were going to take today off too, the boys are still going to the convention.” Raven bit off a length of spring roll before offering the rest to Octavia who eagerly gobbled up the rest.

 

      Shaking her head at her friends antics, Clarke turned to regard Lexa with a quirked eyebrow. The tall brunette only smirked and raised a shoulder before taking a sip from her can of coke.

 

      “Well why don’t you hang out here? We can boot up netflix or watch trash tv.” 

 

      Lexa stared at her for a moment with amusement before nodding her head in the affirmative. “I think we’d like that very much.”

 

      With a blush Clarke lowered her head thanks to the snickers coming from across the room. She threw a mini shrimp at them and to her disappointment Raven only angled her head and caught the damn thing in her mouth. She grinned brightly before chewing away at it.

 

      They finished their late lunch and settled back against the backboards of the beds and tuned the tv to HGTV and fought over which host of the innumerable house hunting / reno shows was the hottest. Octavia and Echo said Scott McGillivray from income properties while Lexa, Raven and Clarke argued that it was definitely Nicole Curtis from rehab addict. 

 

      Throughout the rest of the afternoon they managed to eat all the remaining food and were hungry again once about 7pm hit. None of them wanted to leave so Echo texted Anya who appeared a half hour later carrying four large pizza boxes and a two four of Keith’s india pale ale. The cheers of the five others at her arrival caused the front desk to call them with noise complaints which, what? There were no complaints for the yelling and stomping at 3am but 8pm? Forget about it.

 

      Four large pizzas were no match for six ravenous women and they made quick work of it and the beer while they yelled at a stupid couple who choose the wrong house in house hunters. Honestly, why did they always choose the one above their budget even though the one they described in their wish list was 20 grand under their limit? People were stupid.

 

      The four costumers left around midnight as they all had to pack for checkout the next morning. It took Octavia and Clarke all of a half hour to get everything organized and squared away, they had a system. It was a given that it would take longer for the other girls what with all their costumes to deal with.

 

      After finishing up they headed to bed in hopes of sleeping enough to survive the drive back to Tondeecee in the morning.

 

***

 

      With a yawn Clarke wrangled the last of their bags into the back of their rental while Octavia settled their bill at the front desk. She shoved the pile forcefully and with a nod of satisfaction she slammed the trunk shut. They had a six hour drive ahead of them and again Clarke wished she had been able to take her own vehicle. The rental was small and smelled of stale cigarette smoke, not to mention the machine was gutless. She missed her jeep but of course the thing had crapped out two days before they were set to head out. So it was in the shop and she and Octavia decided that sharing the cost of a rental was the smartest route.

 

      Turning and leaning on the trunk to wait for Octavia to finish, Clarke scanned the parking lot and caught site of Lexa and the other three women trying to fit all of their supplies into the back of an suv, and failing rather miserably. Clarke chuckled and locked the car, jogging over to join them.

 

      “You guys look like you’re having some trouble. Anything I can help with?” The blonde grinned crookedly at the group, bobbing up and down on her toes.

 

      Raven gazed at her in relief. “Yes please. Lexa keeps trying to fit it all. She’s so stubborn sometimes.”  

 

      As though to illustrate her point Lexa huffed in annoyance. “I am not stubborn.” She glared daggers at her friend, willing her to back down but obviously that was far from Raven’s style.

 

      The fiery girl only rolled her eyes at her tattooed best friend before addressing Clarke again. “So this isn’t all going to fit. We’re kind of fucked.” She smiled brightly anyway.

 

      Clarke laughed and spoke before she actually thought. “Well why don’t one of you drive with me and O? We’re headed to the same city after all.” 

 

      Raven’s eyes brightened to a rather scary degree and she smiled up at her best friend who looked vaguely uncomfortable with the gaze.

 

      “Lexa. You’re going with Clarke and Octavia. That settles it!” Raven clapped her hands and nodded her head, choosing to ignore the terrified expression on Lexa’s face. Instead she and a grinning Echo grabbed Lexa’s bags and carried them over to the rental car, shoving them into the backseat, leaving plenty of room for a passenger still back there.

 

      Lexa had yet to make a move and Clarke just stood there, eyes squinted in scrutiny of the brunette. “If you’re uncomfortable with that Lexa, you don’t have to come with us. Although I would like you to.” A shy smile crept onto Clarke’s lips and she cocked her head to the side, waiting for a response from the normally stoic woman.

 

      Her admission had the desired effect and Lexa straightened her back with her slight smile, nodding her head shallowly as she followed Clarke to the vehicle. 

 

      There the group exchanged hugs and promises to see each other soon when they were all settled back into their normal routines. Octavia and Raven whispered at each other and giggled at Lexa and Clarke who were standing close to each other but carefully not touching. They hugged and Raven placed a smacking kiss on Octavia’s lips before slapping her ass and hopping into the drivers seat of the other car. Clarke’s best friend only guffawed and waved happily at her new other best friend before crawling into the backseat of the car.

 

      Clarke smiled as she sat in the drivers seat and Lexa settled into the passengers seat. 

 

      Octavia immediately leaned against Lexa’s bags and went to sleep and for once, Clarke was okay with it. Usually she liked having someone to talk to while she drove and it always made her a little sad that Octavia slept instead of talking to her. But today she had Lexa.

 

      So as she started up the car and headed for the highway, she felt very grateful to her best friend for dragging her out of her comfort zone so many times over the past few days. 

 

      She wondered what things she’d discover about the tattooed beauty during the next six hours.


	10. Day Five - Morning / Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke, Lexa and Octavia head out on their road trip to get back to Tondeecee. Things are learned, Clarke is cheeky, and Octavia is a little shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm sorry this chapter is a little late. I actually stayed up after 1am on a work night to crank it out for you. I've been sick the past week and only managed to get back to work today so I didn't manage to get it done by the time I normally do. Please forgive me! This weekend coming is a long weekend up here in Edmonton so I imagine I'll have at least one bonus chapter for you so, look forward to that!
> 
> Please, comment and kudos away! Share the story wherever and however you like (so long as I'm credited), and you can also totally send me prompts on tumblr. I want to do the occasional oneshot and I'll dedicate it to you if you send me the prompt. =]

“Here. Pick some music.” Clarke had her hand out with her iPod in it, offering it to Lexa. They had made it onto the highway safely after maneuvering through the city for about 20 minutes and by this point Octavia was snoring lightly.

 

Lexa accepted it graciously, making sure to brush her fingers with Clarke’s as she took the proffered device. She was rewarded with a light blush on Clarke’s cheeks. Lexa twitched her lips in a semblance of a smile as she plugged in the aux cord and started perusing the music. “Any suggestions?”

 

With a hum Clarke considered her question and switched lanes before responding. “I’m feeling like teen punk pop. Throw on the Becoming album by Courage My Love.”

 

“Who?” Lexa crinkled her brow in confusion, that was not a band she had ever heard of before.

 

“Courage My Love. They’re a Canadian band fronted by twin sisters. Musical twins are kind of a treasured thing to Canadians.” Clarke laughed but stopped short when she read even more confusion on Lexa’s face. “Seriously?”

 

“I don’t know what you’re inferring Clarke. I don’t follow much in the music world outside of EDM.” Nonetheless she had found the album and put it on.

 

Clarke squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. “You my dear, are in drastic need of a broadening of your musical horizons. And I’m most definitely the one to do it.” With a nod and a finger in the air, Clarke was determined to follow through. “From this point on, all music choices will be made by me.”

 

Lexa huffed a soft laugh, she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea. And she had a feeling she’d learn a few things about the blonde from her musical choices.

 

The music was turned up and Clarke bobbed in her seat while she sang along and Lexa tapped her foot along to the beats when it suited her. They made it through the first album and it was immediately followed by one of Metric’s oldest (Old World Underground of course. According to Clarke it was their best album to date and she continued to wax poetic about their music and Emily Haines for the entire length of it.), and moved on to Demon Days by The Gorillaz. Lexa’s head was spinning from all the different sounds but she had to admit, none of it was unpleasant.

 

Just as they were bobbing along to Dare they were practically scared out of their skin when suddenly Octavia yelled at Clarke from the backseat.

 

“CLARKE PULL OVER NOW!” The smaller brunette sprung forward between the front seats and pointed straight through the windshield at a building on the side of the highway.

 

“JESUS FUCK OCTAVIA!!!! Don’t DO that!” To Clarke’s credit the vehicle didn’t swerve much at all, only a quick jerk to the right. Lexa swallowed and gripped her seat before turning her best death glare at the girl who had almost given her a heart attack.

 

Under the heat of said glare Octavia wilted slightly as she apologized. “Sorry. But I want ice cream Clarke!!!” She wrapped her hands around Clarke’s headrest and shook it lightly while she wiggled in her seat.

 

Clarke sighed, she knew this was one of those ‘choose your battles’ situations. She could say no and not stop, sure. But then she’d have to hear Octavia griping about Clarke being a cruel and heartless friend the rest of the drive and the brunette would do her best to sing along as loudly, and badly, as possible to whatever music was playing. Clarke had made that mistake on the way down and she did not want to repeat that experience.

 

“You cool with that, Lexa?” She threw a quick glance at her passenger who nodded her assent.

 

Flicking on her blinker, Clarke took the next exit off the highway and drove down the side road to the small pickup window style establishment. She parked and they all got out of the car and stretched, they had been on the road for somewhere around two hours at that point and things were getting stiff anyway.

 

With a skip in her step, Octavia dashed over to the window to choose from one of the advertised 50 flavours of ice cream. As Clarke and Lexa made their way over (more slowly and without the spring) the blonde was impressed to see that as well as the 50 soft ice cream flavours, they also had 20 hard ice cream flavours. She always choose hard ice cream if she had the option.

 

“Hey O. Since you almost killed us, you’re buying.” Clarke called out to her friend. The only confirmation that she’d heard was a long suffering sigh and a dramatic slump of the brunette’s shoulders. 

 

Clarke chuckled and decided on moon mist while Lexa choose peppermint chocolate chip. Octavia got a seriously tall espresso flavoured soft ice cream.

 

Ice cream in hand, the three girls found a picnic table a little ways from the building where they could still keep an eye on the car. Clarke sat on the table top while Lexa sat on the actual seat next to her, looking out. Octavia walked around inspecting their surroundings and powered through her cone in record time before abandoning the slower eaters to follow an iridescent blue butterfly out into the small field in fascination. 

 

“Has she always been like this?” Lexa nudged her shoulder into Clarke’s knee to draw her attention to the brunette who was dashing haphazardly through the grass chasing a butterfly.

 

Clarke turned her head to regard her best friend and smiled at the site. “Actually, no. She wasn’t always like this. She used to be super closed off and almost aggressive. We had quite the rivalry going in high school. She and her brother had a rough go of it when they were younger. But now? Yeah she’s probably the most easy going and ‘live in the moment’ kind of person I know.” Clarke’s smile grew wistful. “I envy her actually.”

 

This confused Lexa who had up until now had only ever seen Clarke the same way. Looking at Clarke’s face now though she realized that assuming that was her default personality was an error. The blonde beauty had so much more going on in her head than she had been aware of. There were layers there and Lexa was infinitely curious, and heartbroken. What was it in the blonde’s head that made her look without seeing, and her hands clench enough to turn her knuckles white?

 

“Why would you be envious of her? You seem like the live in the moment type as well.” Lexa was almost finished her ice cream and she quickly caught a drip before it fell on the hand holding the cone, waiting for Clarke to respond.

 

When she didn’t right away Lexa turned to regard her and caught a glimpse of a tired face before what she now recognized as a mask veiled her eyes and mouth in a carefree expression. Clarke smiled softly at her.

 

“She just doesn’t care. She doesn’t give two shits about what anyone thinks about her and she’s happiest that way. She’s never less than her true self and I wish I was like that.” Clarke sighed and shrugged her shoulders as she finished up the last of her ice cream and threw her napkin into the trashcan at the end of the table.

 

Lexa wasn’t really sure how to respond to that. She settled for the truth.

 

“That’s unfortunate Clarke. I have a feeling your true self would be worth seeing.” She felt Clarke’s eyes on her as she finished her ice cream and threw out her own trash. She slanted her head to the side and looked at the blonde who smiled slightly before training her blue eyes on the ground.

 

A small smile of her own had made it’s way onto her stoic features and Lexa lifted her feet to sit before her on the bench and she rested her chin on her knees. The two of them had adjusted to look out at the field when they heard Octavia hoot and holler while running with her head back and arms out at her sides. 

 

She looked as free as they wanted to be.

 

***

 

They stayed there for a solid hour just enjoying the sun. None of them were in much of a rush to get back to the city, they didn’t actually return to their lives until the Wednesday since they took extra time to recuperate from the trip. Lexa had the rest of the week and was in even less of a rush. 

 

When they finally climbed back into the car, Octavia once again fell asleep. She was wiped from her snack and subsequent run.

 

Clarke got them back on the highway and handed her iPod over again. “Okay, so next you need to put on Details by Frou Frou. It’s-”

 

“No.” Lexa put Clarke’s iPod in the pocket of her door and pulled out her own phone, holding it close to her face as she scrolled through the albums at a rapid pace, clearly searching for something specific.

 

“Wait. What? What do you mean no? We haven't even listened to Tegan and Sara yet! I promised you musical twins!” Clarke’s eyes danced between the road and Lexa’s face, trying to ascertain her meaning as the brunette refused to answer her question. “Lexa. We agreed that I would choose the music since you need an education.”

 

“No Clarke, we didn’t agree. You said so and I didn’t fight you on it. Now it’s my turn.” 

 

Clarke was _this_ close to being pissed off at the arrogant tone and offended by the rudeness in the words when she caught sight of her passengers expression. Her eyes were sparkling with amusement as she gazed at Clarke over the top of her phone which she held under her nose, aux cord now attached.

 

With a small huff and pout Clarke deflated. “Fiiine.” She tried her hardest to fight the smile she felt creeping up and she felt successful in it until she heard Lexa laugh. Even though she had lost control of the radio, she still felt victorious simply for having heard her laugh. It didn’t seem like something that happened often, in fact she’s sure she hasn’t heard Lexa laugh even a full handful of times over the course of the convention.

 

They drove for about a half hour with the sounds of Gemini before either of them spoke again.

 

“What’s your favourite smell.”

 

Lexa’s head whipped over and she looked at Clarke with large confused eyes. “What?”

 

“You heard me. What’s your favourite smell?”

 

“Oh. Um. I’ve always been partial to the smell of cold steel. Or freshly turned earth.”

 

Clarke grinned and wrinkled her nose. “That was... oddly specific. I can’t say I’ve ever heard those answers before.”

 

Lexa chuckles. “What do you normally hear then?”

 

“Oh you know, fresh laundry, cut grass, babies, books....”

 

It was Lexa’s turn to wrinkle her nose. “Who in their right mind would choose babies? They aren’t a pleasant smell.”

 

“I’m with you there. I prefer puppies.”

 

More laughter escaped Lexa’s lips. “So puppies are your favourite smell then?”

 

“Oh no, I never said that.”

 

Lexa waited patiently before she realized that Clarke was toying with her. She huffed in mild annoyance at the blonde.

 

“Well? What is your favourite smell then?”

 

“I am so glad you asked Lexa!” The brunette rolled her eyes. “My favourite smells are the air after a heavy rain, kind of like ozone. It’s calming. And books. Whether they’re new or old, they smell comforting.”

 

“Mmmmm.” Lexa nodded her head, thinking on those answers. 

 

“So Clarke, tell me something about you I’d be surprised by.” The brunette had leaned comfortably against the car door, one hand in her lap while the other propped her head up with an elbow on the window sill.

 

“Hmmm... something you’d be surprised by.” Clarke chewed her bottom lip as she wracked her brain. If she hadn’t been so focused on coming up with a good answer she would have caught Lexa’s eyes trained with intensity on her lips.

 

“Okay, how about this. I used to be pre-med. I was top in my class before I dropped out.” She slid her gaze over to the brunette who’s mouth was hanging open rather comically.

 

“Seriously? I ask for a fun anecdote about you and you throw out that you’re basically genius level smart? How is that fair?” Lexa looked rather perplexed but also quite impressed.

 

With a laugh Clarke shrugged. “You asked and that was the first thing that came to mind. What about you?” 

 

Lexa’s expression very suddenly morphed into one full of mischief.

 

_Uh oh. What have I just gotten myself into?_

 

“Well Clarke. Tattoos aren’t my only body modification. And you haven’t even seen all of those. I’m hiding more than you think under all these layers.” Lexa’s lips twisted into a smirk as she regarded the suddenly quiet driver. 

 

Clarke squirmed in her seat, her thighs rubbing together to try and relieve the sudden ache and her eyes flicked over Lexa’s form before they returned to the road in front of them. She mumbled her next sentence. “Well that was hardly fair.”

 

A muffled chuckle came out of the brunette and she also turned to regard the road. They drove for about another hour, sparing the occasional heated glance at each other before Octavia woke up again. This time she made her presence known without threatening their lives.

 

She knew of a swimming hole nearby and insisted they stop for a quick dip since the day was so gorgeous. The other two readily agreed and it was only after Clarke had pulled into the makeshift parking lot and got out of the car that she realized her mistake, and she froze mid step.

 

_Oh god. Lexa just told me that she has more tattoos and other.... stuff. Now we’re going swimming. How in hell am I going to survive the rest of this trip after seeing whatever she has hiding under those layers?_

 

With a groan Clarke grabbed her suit and a towel from her smaller bag, locked the car and followed behind the two brunettes already making their way down the path toward the secluded swimming hole.

 


	11. Day Five - Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls go for a swim to relieve the heat of the summer day. Let's just say it doesn't really 'cool' Clarke and Lexa off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BONUS CHAPTER. I am still posting one tomorrow my lovelies.
> 
> Although this chapter is slightly shorter than the others, I don't think you'll complain. So all I am going to say is:
> 
> You are welcome.

The swimming hole was mostly large rocky outcroppings with beautiful clear pools between them. Octavia wasted no time in shedding her outer layers and dumping them unceremoniously on the rock, taking a running jump and splashing into the water with a graceful dive. 

 

With a chuckle at her best friend, Clarke followed at a more sedate pace and took in their surroundings. They were standing on the highest rock that reached out over the largest pool, creating a sort of cave in the small cliffside that allowed for a protected and shaded area in the water. They were surrounded by similar outcroppings and there were numerous pools, some hidden well behind boulders, others sitting at the bottom of small waterfalls, and yet others that were more like natural slides from the constant water streaming down the sides of boulders. 

 

It was a truly breathtaking place and Clarke had to admit that stopping here was a good idea. In the beating sun and dry air, she searched for a relatively private place to change. Lexa had no qualms about changing though, it seemed. As Clarke was scouting the tree line her eyes caught on the brunette who had simply pulled off her top and shorts, moving on to her bra immediately. Clarke was viewing her from behind and she’s pretty sure she stopped breathing when she saw the full expanse of Lexa’s well muscled and heavily tattooed back. 

 

She felt her mouth watering and her blood rushing in her ears and she turned quickly upon seeing Lexa’s hands reach down to her booty shorts, not wanting to be any more of a creeper than she already was. 

 

With a cough Clarke stumbled into the foliage and changed into her sky blue bikini where no prying eyes could find her (and where hers were in no more danger of objectifying Lexa). She emerged a few moments later to see Lexa dressed in a forest green bikini and the girl setting up a small portable speaker. 

 

“What are we listening to?” She addressed the brunette as she walked over and plopped her own things down on the rock. 

 

“I figured we needed some good summer music, I’ve got the Nocturnes album by Uh Huh Her queued and then.....” As she spoke Lexa lifted her head to look at Clarke, her words gradually slowing and her volume lowering. The blonde was entirely pleased at this turn of events.

 

The tattooed brunette’s eyes had glazed over and her mouth was hanging slightly agape, she had completely zoned out. Clarke knew she didn’t have the rock hard body that Lexa did but where Lexa was hard lines and a natural, slightly olive skin tone, Clarke was soft planes and curves coupled with creamy skin. They were a good contrast to each other, in many ways.

 

“You okay there Lexi? Should I worry about heat stroke?” Clarke raised a brow teasingly and walked closer to rest a palm against Lexa’s forehead in jest.

 

This snapped the brunette out of her haze and she smirked up at the blonde before grabbing the hand on her forehead and standing up to face Clarke head on, only about a foot separating them. “If I have heat stroke it isn’t because of the temperature.” Deep green eyes greedily took in the sight of the woman in front of her and Clarke felt the heat of the gaze as it travelled the length of her. Lexa’s hand briefly tightened around hers before she let go.

 

Before Clarke had the chance to reply in speech or action, Lexa had backed away from her and let herself fall off the craggy rock to splash into the water below.

 

Clarke released a ragged breath and shook her head, trying to clear her vision. 

 

_Was the girl ever anything less than smooth? Dear god I am fucked._

 

“Clarke!” Octavia bellowed at her best friend from the water.

 

“Octavia!” Clarke yelled right back as she stepped to the edge to regard the two women already swimming.

 

“Can you throw me my suit?” The smaller brunette had jumped in in her underwear with no regard to how that would effect her in the long run.

 

A long suffering sigh escaped Clarke’s lips as she laughed at Octavia. In lieu of answering she walked over to O’s bag and pulled out a red string bikini, and threw the tiny garments at the brunette in the water.

 

“Thanks love!” A beaming smile was sent her way and Octavia swam to a spot where she could stand and changed under the water. She then threw her sopping wet undergarments at Clarke who caught them smack in the chest with a shriek. The wet garments then fell comically off her now red chest and landed with a plop on the rock.

 

“OCTAVIA!” Clarke growled at her friend, narrowing her eyes threateningly. This only elicited a cheeky grin from her best friend who spat water in a long arc across the pool.

 

“If you want to retaliate you have to get in here.” O was treading water very near the centre of the open area and Clarke grinned evilly as a plan formed in her head.

 

Suddenly, Clarke flipped her hair and affected a haughty air. “Nah. I changed my mind.” She turned and walked back to their spot on the rock which was out of sight of the pool thanks to the surrounding rocks.

 

“Oh come on Clarke! I didn’t mean it like that! Stop being a party pooper and get in here. Pleeeeaaaaase. I’ll love you forever.” The whining was clearly heard up by the speaker and Clarke grinned before she turned and ran full tilt toward the end of the outcroppings.

 

“TALLY HOOOOOO!!!!!!!” She jumped and pulled herself into a compact canonball and landed not two feet from Octavia, enveloping the squawking girl in a giant wave while Lexa laughed uproariously from the edge of the pool.

 

When Clarke surfaced Octavia was still sputtering water and by the looks of it wasn’t having any luck gaining her breath back as she was also laughing.

 

Clarke giggled and with a glance at Lexa she swam to investigate between two tall rock faces only to discover a pool that was completely hidden from view unless you were in it. The tall rock surrounded the water and reached in to create a sort of ceiling, leaving an opening large enough to light up the enclosure. She found that the space wasn’t quite as deep as the main pool and she could stand enough to have her shoulders and head out of the water. A trickling waterfall snaked down the craggy side of one of the walls.

 

With a sigh Clarke closed her eyes and leaned against the cool rock to enjoy the respite from the stifling heat.

 

It was only a few minutes before she heard the splashing and felt the tiny waves that preceded the arrival of someone making their way into the pool to join her. Clarke kept her head back and her eyes closed as she addressed them. “O if you are here to get back at me, just please remember that I’m your drive home so don’t do anything too rash.”

 

“I shall be sure to pass your message along to Octavia if I see her before you do, Clarke.” The soft lilting voice of Lexa greeted Clarke’s ears and the blonde smiled at the sound.

 

Opening her eyes Clarke sucked in a breath as she took notice of the proximity of Lexa. The brunette had managed to get much closer than Clarke had realized.

 

“Well she’ll probably come in here right away to exact her revenge so maybe we’ll tell her together.” Clarke’s words were slightly strangled as Lexa moved slowly forward as she spoke, until they were a mere inches apart.

 

Lexa’s voice was low and husky. “I don’t think we’ll see her for a while, Clarke. She went to sunbathe on the rock.” The brunette was close enough now that their noses were brushing.

 

Clarke’s chest constricted deliciously. “Oh. Good.” 

 

She barely got the words out before Lexa’s lips were against hers.

 

The only thought running through Clarke’s mind was, _finally._ And she felt relief through her bones, her body sagging against the taller one against hers.  

 

She didn’t hesitate and her arms wound their way around Lexa’s neck as she felt strong hands gripping her back to bring their bodies flush together.

 

Their mouths were soft but insistent, and their bodies were cool from the water but quickly heating. Lexa pulled back and grazed her nose along Clarke’s before reattaching her lips at a new angle.

 

A sigh escaped Clarke’s lips which prompted Lexa to part her own with a quiet moan. Tongues met and brains went fuzzy, hands clutched and caressed, extremities tingled, and legs tangled in the water. One of Lexa’s hands gripped a hip tightly while the other scratched firmly down Clarke’s back, causing a shiver to run through the blonde. Clarke brought one hand to grasp firmly at the nape of Lexa’s neck and she brought the other around to stroke up tightened abs. The muscles jumped under her fingers, contracting and twitching as finger tips traced their edges.

 

Lexa hissed as she pulled back. “ _Fuck_ Clarke.” Her words were absorbed by the assertive mouth that followed hers. They fell into the embrace again and the kiss developed a feverish aspect, lips bruising and tongues lashing. 

 

Clarke pulled back with a gasp to breath and Lexa trailed light kisses along Clarke’s jaw to her ear so she could flick her tongue around the shell. “As much as I’m enjoying this, I’d rather continue somewhere else.”

 

With her senses in overload and a delirious smile on her face, Clarke responded. “Why?” Her hands had found their way to the small of Lexa’s back and she feathered her fingers across the taught skin before they lowered to roughly seize Lexa’s ass.

 

Lexa’s tongue flicked around her earlobe and she bestowed a light nip to it before she spoke in a guttural voice. “Because if we stay in the water, I can’t taste you.”

 

Clarke could have sworn in that moment that the only words left in her vocabulary were, _jesus fuck._

 


	12. Day Five - Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls end their road trip and Clarke discovers a way to beat Lexa at her own game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is a day late (I didn't get home until almost 1am Wednesday night and had to get up for work at 6:30 so writing and editing wasn't something I was up to.) However, I think you'll forgive me. Call it a hunch. ;]

After their little.... dalliance in the rock pools Lexa and Clarke had made their way out of the water to retrieve their clothes (and Octavia) and get back on the road. They walked with a space between them as neither was sure that allowing themselves near each other until they were in a better suited location was anything resembling a good idea.

 

Octavia being Octavia, she picked up on something immediately. She quirked her lips in a tight lipped smile and followed behind Clarke and Lexa as they walked back to the car. They all settled into the same seats as before and Octavia didn’t go to sleep as quickly as the last few times as this time, she had entertainment.

 

Watching Clarke and Lexa exchange heated looks and stare at each others lips while trying not to touch each other was hysterical. They were chatting away, both assuming Octavia was passed out again. Honestly, they didn’t even look into the backseat they were so wound up in each other. 

 

Sensing that she wouldn’t be the only person who would enjoy the current events, O took out her phone and brought up her chat window with Raven.

 

**Octavia (3:12pm): Sup dude. How’s your drive going?**

 

**Raven (3:13pm): Boring as fuck. Anya is driving and not talking, Echo is sleeping. I’m so boooooored. Save me O.**

 

**Octavia (3:15pm): Okay okay okay. I think I may have something to liven things up for you.**

 

**Raven (3:16pm): Spill woman.**

 

**Octavia (3:19pm): So we stopped a few hours back for a lunch made up of ice cream. Then we drove for another hour and I made us stop so we could go swimming.**

 

**Raven (3:18pm): Bro. You went swimming without me? Damn, I can’t believe I missed my opportunity to see you in a bathing suit. I am full of regret.**

 

**Octavia (3:20pm): That’s only true if you assume it’s your only opportunity. ;] Anyway. We were all swimming for a while right? But then I got out of the water to tan for a bit.**

 

**Raven (3:25pm): As awesome as the visual of you scantily clothed is, I feel like there is more to this story. Hurry uuuuuuup and TELL ME woman!**

 

**Octavia (3:27pm): Basically. I’m pretty sure something happened between Clarke and Lexa.**

 

As if to reassure herself that it was true Octavia looked towards the front of the vehicle in time to see Lexa smirk and Clarke blush violently. O huffed a silent laugh, she wished she had heard whatever it was that had just transpired between the two.

 

**Raven (3:28pm): HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE. Are you serious right now????? Please tell me you’re serious!!!**

 

**Octavia (3:32pm): Haha, dead serious lady! Clarke keeps blushing and Lexa is giving her serious sex eyes. Plus, they are making every effort not to touch each other. After the last few days and all their cuddling I’d say that’s a dead giveaway.**

 

**Raven (3:34pm): Holy shit. You know what this means?**

 

**Octavia (3:35pm): Uh-oh.**

 

**Raven (3:36pm): I WIN THE FUCKING BET. SUCK IT BLAKE!!!!**

 

**Octavia (3:38pm): Maybe later. And fuck it, you’re right.**

 

**Raven (3:40pm): Haha yup. Oh, my cheer woke Echo up. Imma tell her and Anya.**

 

**Raven (3:44pm): Well shit.**

 

**Octavia (3:46pm): ???**

 

**Raven (3:49pm): Apparently in my drunken haze the night we made the bet I forgot that Echo was also in, she called anytime after the weekend. Fuck O, she won. D=**

 

**Octavia (3:50pm): HAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

 

**Raven (3:51pm): I really wish I had a middle finger emoji.**

 

**Octavia (3:52pm): <3**

 

Octavia pocketed her phone and eyed her best friend who was coughing and grabbing her bottle of water as though she would die of thirst without it. Who knows, maybe her metaphorical thirst was manifesting physically. O grinned to herself as she let her head back so she could nap again.

 

***

 

Driving when you’re sexually frustrated isn’t easy. This Clarke knew with certainty as she was living proof of it. Each shift of a gear had her legs rubbing to pump the clutch and adjust the gas and it made her thighs graze together, only increasing her tension.

 

She side eyed Lexa who had eventually stopped torturing her with words enough to allow Clarke to try and forget about the things she’d said, at least enough for her to focus more fully on the road. Only problem was, it only allowed her mind to wander and dissect each phrase that had come out of the brunette’s mouth and now Clarke’s fantasies were running rampant. It was a problem.

 

Clarke cleared her throat once again, and she heard Lexa chuckle. Apparently she found all of Clarke’s reactions to be unendingly amusing. The blonde squinted her eyes in concentration and she started to plan. She would get the better of Lexa eventually, she just needed to figure out what would shock her.

 

Then they’d be even.

 

***

 

The three got back to Tondeecee without any more stops other than for gas or bathroom breaks. It was agreed that they’d all drop off their things and clean up at their respective homes before they’d all meet for a late dinner.

 

Clarke drove Octavia to her place and as luck would have it, Lexa and Clarke lived all of 3 blocks away from each other and they agreed that carpooling to the dinner location would be in both of their best interest.

 

They stopped at Lexa’s place first and Clarke helped her unload all her gear. She was slightly surprised by the apartment that the brunette kept. It was large and open concept. The whole far wall was basically one giant window and the living space was situated very near it. The kitchen was near the front door and a small hallway led from the centre of the right wall where the bedroom led off on the window side of the apartment (Clarke knew this because she carried a few bags into the room with Lexa. She steadfastly refused to look at the bed and kept her eyes on her own feet), on the opposite side of the hall was the bathroom as well as a closed door at the end of the hall. The whole space was clean and sparse, there was no obvious nerd paraphernalia anywhere beyond a few movie posters, which surprised Clarke. The furniture looked inviting even if it looked like it was straight out of the box. All but for the brown leather couch sitting in the living room. It was scratched and well weathered, clearly well loved. Clarke was sure it was comfortable as all hell and she immediately started imagining scenarios that involved it.

 

At her suddenly vacant expression, Lexa smirked. She strode over to Clarke and gripped her bicep, pulling her to the front door with a chuckle.

 

While they were unloading the car Lexa had convinced her to wait for her since she could just freshen her makeup at Clarke’s place while the blonde showered. They stowed Lexa’s totes and bags and hopped back in the car, having taken all of 10 minutes at Lexa’s place.

 

The drive to Clarke’s place was 3 minutes at most and they both clambered out, each taking one of her bags in hand as they walked to the elevator from the underground parkade where residents of the building parked their cars.

 

Clarke could feel her blood boiling as they slowly ascended up to the 11th floor. When they reached her level Clarke got out first and led the brunette to her door with shaky steps. Thankfully her hands didn’t show her nerves and she was able to unlock her door without doing something embarrassing like dropping her keys.

 

She pushed the heavy fire door open with a grunt and she held the door open for Lexa after she stepped inside.

 

Her apartment was a stark contrast to Lexa’s. It wasn’t dirty by any means but it was certainly disorganized chaos. Sketches littered every surface, drawings and paintings were tacked to the walls, implements of different mediums were scattered anywhere there was room for them, and books took up every other space. There wasn’t even see a tv in the main room which wasn’t exactly common in this day and age. Lexa was willing to swear she even saw a paintbrush in the cooking utensil basket, leaning against a few spatulas and a lonely whisk.

 

The apartment opened to greet a long hallway where the kitchen was through a doorway on the right. At the far end of the kitchen was a serving window that allowed view into the rest of the apartment. Down the hallway was the living room and bedroom if the bed sitting below a window on right wall was anything to go by. The left wall of the hall continued the length of the room, meeting the far wall where a grey couch sat with a large and scarred coffee table sitting before it. Next to the couch was a clothing rack where any number of articles of clothes hung. A small dresser was nestled comfortably in the corner between the rack and the bed. The far right wall past the edge of the kitchen was red brick with old-fashioned paned windows which let in an alarming amount of light nestled into it at regular intervals and in between each set of windows was a tall and narrow bookcase, filled to the brim with colourful and well thumbed paperbacks. The left side of the hallway had two doors, one of which was a bathroom and the other was firmly shut.

 

Overall Lexa felt like the space reflected Clarke. It was welcoming and unapologetic in it’s disorder, but strangely endearing at the same time. She loved it.

 

“Okay. So I’m going to hop in the shower. Feel free to look around and... yeah.” Clarke smiled shyly before she disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door with a firm click.

 

Lexa released a breath and she wandered over to sit on the couch where she shuffled through the drawings littered across it with interest and a small smile.

 

Meanwhile Clarke had gotten under the spray and let her mind wander to a topic she had been thinking a lot about since the swimming hole.

 

Their conversation before they stopped had ended with Lexa saying that she had more body modifications than Clarke was aware of. Yet the only thing she had seen when they were swimming were a few more tattoos. Granted they were beautiful but Clarke wasn’t surprised by any of those. 

 

Clarke lathered her hair and she wracked her brain trying to figure what Lexa might have meant. Tattoos, check. Stretched ears, check. What else was there? Well, she had a few piercings...... _oh._

 

The blonde’s hands stilled as the revelation came over her. With heat travelling low in her belly Clarke distinctly recalled the feeling of Lexa’s body pressed against hers and she hadn’t felt any barbells or anything so she couldn’t have her nipples pierced. Their chests had been rather forcefully connected and she knew from past experience that she’d have felt those. So where...?

 

Clarke’s brain finally caught up with the evidence and she dropped her conditioner bottle with a loud clatter. 

 

_OH._

 

She couldn’t help the low whine that rose in her throat or the rush she felt between her legs as she tried with every ounce of her being to push aside the feelings long enough to get through the dinner with their friends which would occur in less than an hour.

 

But Lexa was _just outside_. How on earth was she supposed to get herself together when she was so close?

 

God she was fucked.

 

With difficulty she finished her shower and towelled herself off. She threw the towel on the drying rack and it was then that she realized how well and truly fucked she was. She had been so focused on Lexa being in her apartment that she had failed to bring _any_ clothing into the bathroom with her besides what she had been wearing before. Of which those were wet from stepping on as she had exited the shower only moments before.

 

_Well shit._

 

“Goddamit, this doesn’t make anything easier on me.” Clarke muttered to herself as she once again took up her towel and wrapped it firmly around herself, tucking the end between her breasts. “Why the fuck did I buy bath towels and not bath sheets? This barely covers my ass.” She dropped her arms to her sides and her head back as she sighed at the ceiling.

 

“Great job Griffin. Un-fucking-believable.” She shook her head at herself and stepped forward with the intention of quickly retrieving some clothing and dashing back to the bathroom to change.

 

That would prove to be less than an ideal plan as she had to walk directly in front of Lexa who was still perched on the couch as her clothing was in the far corner. Well then.

 

Clarke tried to make as little noise as possible because, maybe Lexa wouldn’t notice her? If she did then she was sure there was no way they’d be on time for dinner let alone actually making it there. And O and Raven would most assuredly not let them live it down. She wasn’t about to give them that win. Clarke was nothing if not competitive.

 

Her wet feet landed softly on the floor as she tiptoed towards the corner of the room. She was all of 5 feet away from the brunette when she heard a strangled whimper.

 

_So much for that plan._

 

She dropped her ‘stealth’ stance and turned to look at Lexa only to find the brunette standing and facing her.

 

Lexa’s eyes were hungry and her hands were twitchy, as though they could barely hold themselves back from ripping the towel from the blonde’s body. Clarke knew the feeling, well.

 

They watched each other for a few tense seconds before Clarke made a decision. She stepped forward and stopped about a foot from Lexa. The expression on Lexa’s face was too much and Clarke felt her self control dissolving at a rapid pace so there was only one thing to do really.

 

_Fuck it._

 

Clarke kept her eyes on Lexa’s and without wavering, she dropped her towel. Lexa’s breath hitched and her eyes widened, she gasped and Clarke caught the telltale sign of weak knees.

 

_Huh. Apparently the best way to throw Lexa off is to get naked. Who knew?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huehuehue. I'm not even sorry about the cliffhanger. Rest assured you will get a follow up VERY quickly as I am not so cruel as to make you wait another week. If you're truly mad at me just send me hate on my tumblr.
> 
> As always, thank you guys for getting this fic as noticed as it has been! I am eternally grateful to you. Please comment away and tell me what you think!


	13. Day Five - Evening / Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get.... heated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. You guys are in for it with this one. You might have noticed I bumped the rating...... Things got out of hand. I couldn't help myself.
> 
> THREE CHAPTERS IN ONE WEEK. YOU LUCKY LITTLE THIRSTY SHIPPERS. 
> 
> Anyway, I suggest that those of you who don't want to read smut skip this chapter (yes that means you mom.)
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy and don't hesitate to flail at me about it.

Lexa tried her hardest not to stare, she really did. Turns out though, that when a drop dead gorgeous woman is naked and _glistening_ from the water still running down her body from her shower, and is standing not a foot away from you, conscious action is less than available.

 

Honestly though, she might have had more decorum if Clarke didn’t make her skin tingle and her chest warm, and her.... yeah. 

 

She finally brought her wide eyes up to Clarke’s after a minute or two and found one of the blonde’s eyebrows raised in challenge and a self satisfied smirk on her face which Lexa had to admit, was totally justified.

 

Lexa cleared her throat before attempting to speak, her voice coming out much huskier than usual and heavy with arousal. “Umm. We’re going to be late for dinner.”

 

_What the fuck Lexa? That was the exact opposite of the right thing to say right now._

 

Luckily for her, Clarke didn’t hold her sudden awkwardness against her. The blonde stepped closer to Lexa, her hands coming up to grip her shirt and in the process, pushing her breasts together and affording Lexa a visual that she would never ever forget.

 

“Yeah well. We can order takeout later. I’m not really hungry right now.” Clarke was lifting Lexa’s shirt slowly, allowing her time to remove herself from the situation if she so wished. That’s the thing though. She wished for many things right now but to be fully clothed and away from Clarke was not one of them.

 

She crossed her arms and pulled her shirt off herself and things got slightly more even then. She hadn’t put her bra back on after their swim earlier that day as it was far too hot. She mentally thanked herself for her unknowing foresight.

 

Lexa wasted no time in taking one hurried step forward and crashing her lips against Clarke’s, the blonde responding eagerly and grasping her back, bringing their chests flush together. Lexa gasped at the contact and she bit Clarke’s bottom lip, her hands having found a place resting against Clarke’s collar bones.

 

With a growl Clarke removed her lips from Lexa’s and bit the large tendon in her neck roughly in retaliation, which earned her a breathy hiss from Lexa who clenched her hands and dug her short nails into Clarke’s chest before trailing them lower to scratch a path down to grip her breasts. Clarke moaned but she also sensed she had just discovered a very important piece of information so she grinned against Lexa’s neck and pushed the brunette backwards to fall suddenly onto her couch.

 

Lexa stared up at her with an entirely animalistic sort of hunger in her eyes, pupils dilated to the point where next to no green was visible anymore. She noted with pleasure that Clarke didn’t seem to be in a much better state. Blue eyes were glazed and had taken on a startlingly bright hue rather than their normal sky colour and her chest stuttered quickly.

 

_Holy shit. So this is happening._

 

Clarke drew closer and dropped to her knees before Lexa, her breasts bouncing as she settled after the fast fall. She ran her hands reverently up toned thighs to unbutton her shorts. She gripped the sides but before removing them she met Lexa’s eyes, a question clear in them. 

 

“Oh for fucks sake Clarke. Just take them off!” Lexa snarled at the blonde, entirely not up to teasing or going slow. There was far too much tension built up in them for niceties and although she appreciated the sentiment behind Clarke asking first (and under normal circumstances she would require it), she didn’t have the patience for it in that moment, with Clarke already naked, wet and wanting. She needed release desperately and she wanted Clarke to be the one to give it to her.

 

Her outburst caused a hellish gleam to invade the blondes eyes and a toothy grin to erupt. “As you wish, _Commander._ ” A split second later Clarke had tugged the garment down her legs, along with her booty shorts.

 

“Huh. I was right.” Clarke’s eyes were glued between Lexa’s legs where a small barbell was situated above her clitoris. 

 

Lexa felt a rush of warmth in her core and as full of anticipation as she was, she didn’t feel like allowing Clarke to sit back and stare anymore so she lurched forward and bodily lifted Clarke from the floor and dropped her on her lap, bringing her pelvis flush against her abs.

 

Slick wet coated her lower stomach as Clarke’s vulva ground against it and Lexa groaned as she brought Clarke’s lips back down to meet hers. She parted her lips immediately and was rewarded with Clarke’s tongue stroking against hers, the blonde’s hands having twisted into long curly brown locks.

 

Lexa was lost to the woman in her lap, she knew without doubt that she would do most anything to keep the treasure of a girl content. She was aware she was falling before, but now she knew with absolute certainty that she had stopped falling and had landed solidly in the blonde’s court.

 

In her haze she had failed to notice one of Clarke’s hands trailing down her stomach to wedge between them but she most certainly did when it stroked though Lexa’s hot, wet centre.

 

“Oh my god!” Lexa moaned against Clarke’s mouth, causing a wicked smile to alight on the artist’s features. Her pleasure only increased when Clarke tugged experimentally on the barbell above her clit, causing Lexa’s already soaked centre to get even more slippery. She jerked her hips upward, forcing Clarke’s own arm to rub against her sensitive clitoris so the blonde squirmed.

 

“Fuck Lexa you feel amazing.” Clarke whispered against her lips and Lexa instinctively grabbed blonde locks and she dragged Clarke’s head back almost violently to afford her better access and she lowered her mouth to envelop the hardened nipple on one breast, her tongue flicking and her lips suctioning while she applied light pressure with her teeth. 

 

Clarke’s hand stuttered and she let out a loud moan before she thrust two fingers into Lexa very suddenly. The brunette hummed against the breast she was attached to, sending shockwaves up Clarke’s body.

 

Lexa’s second hand was gripping Clarke’s bottom firmly and kneading the soft flesh, her other still tangled in messy blonde hair. With Clarke’s fingers rhythmically thrusting and her thumb grazing over Lexa’s clit, Lexa struggled to focus on what her mouth was doing. She was seeing lights behind her eyes and she was losing focus as she felt her extremities tingling and her stomach tightening in anticipation.

 

She tried to focus and redirect her attention to Clarke again by bringing their mouths together once more, this kiss getting messy and needy very quickly.

 

It seemed that Clarke was waiting for this as she abruptly twisted her wrist and curled her fingers, jerking Lexa back into her haze as she pumped her fingers harder and faster, her knuckles slapping against Lexa’s vulva with each thrust.

 

“Fuck... Clarke... Unnnghhh.” Lexa was devolving into sounds rather than words and she threw her head forward and she bit Clarke’s shoulder as she came violently, her eyes screwed shut while her hips kept pace and her hands gripped the supple ass in her lap.

 

Clarke kept up her movement as Lexa rode out her orgasm and her hand grew substantially more wet, only slowing when Lexa’s hips did. She stroked her walls slowly and tenderly when the brunette came down from what could only be described as a seriously intense high.

 

The blonde sitting in her lap chuckled and pressed a kiss to Lexa’s temple and she murmured in her ear. “You okay there love?” Lexa only hummed into her shoulder and adjusted her position so her lips could trace Clarke’s collar bone and chest, allowing herself to latch on and suck at the pulse point.

 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Clarke barely managed to get out in a strangled sentence as Lexa lifted her with a strong hand grasping each thigh until she was standing and Clarke was forced to wrap her legs fully around the brunette.

 

Lexa detached to reply in a raspy voice. “You underestimate me Clarke.” She then threw the blonde down lengthwise on the couch and lowered herself to lay bodily across the flustered blonde beneath her. 

 

She lowered her mouth to accost Clarke’s, teasing moans out of both women. Lexa nipped at Clarke’s upper lip teasingly before she began trailing kisses and nips down her torso. Clarke’s normally creamy skin was thoroughly flushed and it responded instantly to Lexa’s sucking, a number of impressive hickeys already blooming.

 

“Jesus _fuck_ Lexa. What are you doing to me?” Clarke was breathless as Lexa feathered lighter kisses across her hips, edging frustratingly close to Clarke’s thoroughly soaked centre. 

 

“I’m unraveling you Clarke.” Lexa stated matter of factly and deeply before she finally dragged her tongue through Clarke’s wetness, nudging her clit with her nose on the way up.

 

Clarke moaned loudly, her hands lowering to tangle in Lexa’s mussed brown locks. Lexa wasn’t feeling much like a tease right then so she didn’t waste time drawing things out. She drew her fingers around Clarke’s clit, teasing out a rhythm as she dropped her tongue down to her entrance and plunged in, matching her fingers in half time with a skilled tongue.

 

This served to have Clarke writhing, arching her back as Lexa worked fastidiously to bring her to orgasm. The blonde was squirming so much that Lexa brought her second hand under a leg to press firmly on Clarke’s navel which also served to put pressure on her walls and bring her g-spot down firmly on the acrobatic tongue inside her.

 

“Fuck... holy CHRIST on a cracker.... Shit you’re amazing Lex.... God I’m so close...” Lexa huffed an amused laugh at the artist’s colourful phrasing, her hot breath on Clarke’s throbbing core helped in finally pushing her to her breaking point.

 

Clarke called out in a raspy scream, her hips frantically pumping, her hands tightening probably painfully in Lexa’s hair, and her legs clenching around Lexa’s head as she rode out her orgasm.

 

As she came down she loosened her grip on Lexa and the brunette emerged, face wet and panting. She kept up Clarke’s body only for the blonde to pull her into a slow and heady kiss. Both of their brains were fried and their bodies were sluggish from the intensity of their orgasms.

 

“Well then.” Clarke laughed deliriously as she stroked her fingers through Lexa’s hair and gazed into green eyes which were gleaming with pleasure and amusement.

 

“I agree.” They both giggled tiredly and Lexa rested her chin on Clarke’s chest. “I do have a question for you though.”

 

“I feel like you have a free pass to ask me anything right now.” Clarke sighed as she let her head fall back and her eyes close.

 

“Why commander?”

 

Clarke barked out a laugh before she responded. “Because you were so insistent and commanding when I took longer to get you out of your pants than you wanted. You were very authoritative. It was totally hot.”

 

Chuckling, Lexa ran her hand lazily up Clarke’s side and she ran her thumb slowly across her ribs. “Fair enough.”

 

Just then they heard a phone ringing, it was sounding out some sort of 8 bit theme song which Lexa recognized as Raven’s ringtone. She had no idea what the music actually was since her friend had set it herself. Lexa just groaned from her comfortable position draped across Clarke.

 

They laid there and let the phone just ring until the call ended. Lexa heaved a sigh of relief when the noise ceased. Clarke smiled but that was wiped from her face only to be replaced by a scowl when her phone started going off instead. Octavia’s ringtone of the chilling whistle from the movie Hanna started filling the room. Seriously, that girl had a thing for freaky whistles. What was with that?

 

Clarke and Lexa allowed that call to go to voicemail as well, as they were starting to feel quite tired. Besides the mind numbing orgasms they had partaken of a long road trip that day, they were entitled to a little exhaustion.

 

It didn’t take long for the two to fall asleep, still tangled in each other.

 

Their buzzing phones went unnoticed.

 

***

 

Octavia looked down at the phone in her hand with a grin, which was shared with Raven when she looked up and met the girl’s eyes.

 

“Dude. They’re totally hooking up right now!!!” Raven scrunched up her face in delight as she slapped her hands on her knees rapidly in excitement.

 

“I am inclined to agree with you m’dear.” Octavia threw her arm around Raven’s shoulders and let the girl rest her head on her shoulder. 

 

They were sitting around a large circular table at the restaurant with Lincoln, Echo and Anya. Clarke and Lexa were no shows and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Although Raven was quick to point out that _technically_ she was a rocket scientist even if she worked as a mechanic and she did figure it out, so.

 

Lincoln grinned at Octavia, seeing her interacting with Raven for the first time. He had admitted that he found it strangely endearing and Octavia had feelings about that. Good ones though since she also had good feelings towards the sassy brunette. It required some thought and perhaps a few conversations with her boyfriend.

 

Deciding to ignore the lack of their two ‘leaders’ as it were, the group raised their fresh round of drinks in a toast to a successful weekend and new friends before diving into their meals.

 


	14. Day Six - Morning / Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after. And a little of the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again guys for the late chapter! Here's the actual chapter 14 and guess what? There will be a chapter 15 tonight as well. I'm just editing and it will go live as soon as that's finished. Thanks for your patience!
> 
> Also, some of this chapter is from Raven's POV so there's that. Some of you know what is coming, others probably have an inkling. Let me know what you think! comment away, and please send me prompts for one shots on my tumblr @ TheSpaminator. I love getting prompts and if it's something I'd like to write, you can be sure it will be added to the list.
> 
> Thanks loves!

Clarke was dimly aware of her surroundings. But one thing that she did know for sure was that she had no feeling in her right arm. It was sometime in the middle of the night and Lexa had managed to sandwich herself between Clarke and the back of the couch, arms and legs strewn messily over the blonde and trapping the numb arm fully underneath the girl. Not to mention they were both still blissfully naked and sans a blanket so Clarke was cold.

 

She tried to pull it out but that plan turned out to be harder than anticipated. Scowling to herself she considered her options and eventually settled on waking the brunette.

 

A light poke to the ribs served to be less than sufficient so she prodded slightly harder, and eventually the heavy sleeper stirred.

 

“Mmmmm.... what the hell Clarke?” Her voice was heavy with sleep as she responded but she didn’t move nor open her eyes.

 

“My arm is asleep and I’m cold. Come on, we’re moving to the bed that is six feet away.” With a last nudge, Clarke managed to rouse the brunette enough for her to sleepily push herself onto her elbow so Clarke could escape.

 

Once standing she extended a hand and helped Lexa to her feet and dragged her the short distance to the bed which they both flopped unceremoniously on to where Clarke was treated to a sight she hadn’t ever considered.

 

They had fallen on top of the sheets and Clarke had intended to just pull them down and lay under them but Lexa had other plans. The brunette walked on all fours to the head of the bed where she lifted the edge and crawled under them head first before curling up into a ball halfway down the bed and tugging the blankets around her.

 

Clarke chuckled disbelievingly at the cat like tendencies of the girl before she pulled back the sheets on her side and snuggled around the brunette, quickly falling asleep again.

 

***

 

“OCTAVIAAAAA!!!!” Raven was pleasantly drunk and even more affectionate than she was when sober. She sought out the other brunette and spotted her canoodling by the bar with her boyfriend who was admittedly as gorgeous as O. She was a little bitter about that but what right did she have there? Murphy’s law that when she meets someone awesome enough to want to pursue, they are already in a relationship.

 

Also she couldn’t really be mad at Lincoln because he seemed like a pretty fantastic guy so far, and she could see herself getting along with him.

 

_Oh well! At least I can be friends with her and she doesn’t seem to mind my advances so that’s fun. And her boyfriend- Lincoln I think? He doesn’t look like he wants to murder me yet so I think I can get away with it._

 

Having spotted the object of her affections, she stumbled in her direction and called her name again. To her delight, when Octavia spotted her her perfectly chiseled face lit up in excitement and she launched her agile body at her only to have the two of them fall bodily to the floor. What could she say? When you’re slightly lit up catching a person that was basically thrown into your arms wasn’t easy.

 

They fell fast and O landed square on Raven causing the two of them to laugh giddily. Octavia pushed herself up onto all fours above Raven and grinned down at her, eyes twinkling in mirth.

 

“You alright there lady?” When she saw Raven’s answering grin she pushed herself to her feet and pulled the other girl up with a firm hand.

 

Lincoln was just standing at the bar, watching the women with a fond smile on his face.

 

Raven had wanted to respond to O’s question with a firm kiss but even she knew that would be pushing it with Lincoln around. Sure, she had planted one on Octavia when they all left their hotel that morning but she did it in a way where she assumed Octavia wouldn’t have read anything into it. Not to mention that she kissed all of her friends, a quick peck was nothing amongst people you trusted. No, the way she wanted to kiss Octavia was _far_ from the typical friendly kisses she gave out freely.

 

When they were both planted steadily (or as much as they could while being tipsy) on their feet they made their way over to Lincoln where they both pushed under am arm and snuggled into the muscular man. He smiled and squeezed their shoulders, continuing to order drinks for all three of them which Raven and O picked up so he didn’t have to adjust his grip on either of them.

 

Drinks in hand, the wall of humans turned and forced their way through the crowd much to the other patron’s displeasure and plopped themselves down at the table their group still occupied.

 

“So Raven. Octavia tells me you’re a rocket scientist who works as a mechanic.” Lincoln turned to her and speared her with a curiosity filled gaze, as genuine as you please.

 

She shrugged and took a pull of her beer before responding. “The bigger stuff is more for fun if you can believe it. I build fun stuff in my garage at home, and fix cars professionally because it’s easier and a guaranteed income. I’ve been offered a few more intense jobs but I’d rather keep on the way I’ve been keeping on.”

 

The man looked at her with narrowed eyes and a slight smirk, nodding his head with her words. Octavia gazed past him, head resting on her fist with her elbow propped on the table and when she and Raven locked eyes she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

 

Raven giggled and winked back before returning her attention to Lincoln who was telling her about his motorcycle which he had built from the ground up. They spent the next little while like that, trading stories about what they had built and what they planned to do in the future. Octavia stayed quiet and smiled softly, her eyes flicking between the two as they interacted.

 

***

 

When Clarke and Lexa woke up again it was because the light coming in the windows speared through their eyelids, causing them to flinch away in pain with matching groans.

 

“Why don’t you have curtains Clarke?” Lexa had shifted while they slept and now actually had her head on a pillow as she spread out on her back over half of the bed.

 

Clarke just shrugged, blearily looking at the woman next to her with the lower half of her face covered by her blankets, hands twisted in the edge to keep them wrapped firmly around her. She felt Lexa reach out a foot and nudge her in the shin.

 

“I’m hungry Clarke. Feed me.” Lexa sighed dramatically as she threw an arm across her eyes.

 

“Wow. One night together and already the romance is gone.” Clarke deadpanned as she stayed exactly where she was.

 

Lexa chuckled. “Who in their right mind is romantic in the mornings? If you want romance, cook me breakfast and bring it to me in bed. That’s romantic isn’t it?”

 

At that Clarke laughed out loud. “Not if the romanced requests it it isn’t.”

 

“Eh.”

 

Thoroughly amused, Clarke decided to humour the woman in her bed and she threw back her covers, moving to get up. That plan was quickly interrupted though by a firm hand around her wrist tugging her back down.

 

Clarke looked down to see Lexa looking at her like breakfast was now the last thing on her mind, or rather that she changed her mind about wha she wanted to eat.

 

“I thought you wanted breakfast?” The blonde asked with a smile from her position hovering above the brunette where she had landed.

 

“I do.” Lexa murmured from below as she tugged Clarke down for a very thorough good morning kiss which quickly evolved into a good morning bout of sex. They only broke apart after a solid two rounds because their stomachs were both growling rather loudly. Neither of them had actually eaten since the ice cream the day before so together they got up to prepare a rather enormous amount of breakfast foods.

 

A table full of waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit later they returned to the bed for rounds three and four.

 

***

 

Octavia woke up the next day tangled in Lincoln in their shared apartment, their reunion activities having spent all their energy once they returned home early that morning from the restaurant.

 

She looked at Lincoln to see that he was still soundly asleep, honestly the man could sleep through anything. O could too but she generally was an earlier riser and typically always woke up before him.

 

Having removed herself from their bed she made her way into the kitchen where she started a pot of coffee and popped some toast into the toaster. She pulled her jam out of the fridge and coated her toast when it popped and she sat at their island to munch as she thought about the events of the night before.

 

She knew she had some sort of feelings for Raven, same as she knew she loved Lincoln unconditionally. Raven may have thought she was hiding it but she caught the way that her eyes always ended up on her and then Lincoln, looking first with slight adoration before her expression morphed into one of resignation.

 

Octavia was nothing if not observant. 

 

As she finished her toast she got up to pour a cup of coffee, also readying one for Lincoln who would be out any minute now as the smell of their dark roast woke him without fail every day. She took her mug to their living room and perched on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest and setting her forearms across them so her hands hung out in front of her with her coffee hanging in them.

 

She furrowed her brow as she considered, also having caught the way Lincoln looked at her and Raven the night before. 

 

_Would he be okay with....?_

 

Octavia took a draught of her coffee, hugging the mug close to her chest. She knew Lincoln was okay with polyamory in theory as he was the most accepting human being she had ever met but they had never discussed it as though it was an option for their relationship. Neither of them were really the jealous type but you never know when it comes down to it, especially when considering adding another person into the fold. Not to mention, would that be something Raven would be okay with???

 

As far as she knew, Octavia was the only one of the three of them who was even considering the idea and she determined that it was an option worth exploring at the very least. She would have to tread carefully when bringing up the idea to the both of them, she couldn’t really know how either conversation would go.

 

She continued to ponder her options and she had each conversation in her head, deciding what she would say with each possible reaction. 

 

Lincoln had come out of their room as she finished her coffee and he dropped a kiss to the top of her head as he walked past her to retrieve his own cup. Octavia smiled up at him and she couldn’t help the warm feeling spreading through her chest and extending down to her fingertips.

 

_Yeah, this could work._

 

***

 

Having finished their coffee and breakfast, O and Lincoln moved to sit on the balcony of their apartment and Octavia decided that no better time would come up to discuss her idea.

 

She nudged her toes into Lincoln’s thigh from where she was curled up next to him on their cushioned bench. “Hey L, what did you think of my new friends last night?” She figured bringing up the group first, then moving onto each of them individually so as not to draw attention to Raven right away was the best approach. Raven would be the harder conversation by a mile.

 

Her boyfriend shrugged noncommittally in response before he voiced his opinion. “They’re pretty cool. Anya is a little hard to read but Echo seems like she’s super nice, I can see why you think she and Bellamy would get along. Raven is a riot and you two seem to get along really well, I like her.”

 

_Well that potentially made this whole thing easier._

 

“Yeah she’s pretty great.” She grinned to herself and bit her lower lip nervously before continuing. “I actually had a question for you and I don’t quite know how to phrase it.”

 

Lincoln just turned his head and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to say more.

 

“What would you say if I told you I might like her as more than a friend?”

 

He raised his eyebrows in surprise before his eyes unfocused as he considered her words. He eventually looked back at her and she was glad to see he didn’t seem angry or upset.

 

After looking at her with narrowed eyes for a moment he spoke. “I guess that depends. What would happen to us?”

 

Her chest was tight in anticipation. “That’s the thing, I don’t want anything to happen to us. I’m kind of in love with you and I don’t want that to end.” She shrugged a shoulder uncomfortably.

 

Lincoln hummed. “Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” He grabbed hold of Octavia’s feet and pulled them into his lap, massaging them softly as he waited for her answer.

 

She sighed. “If you think I’m suggesting polyamory, then yes. I know this might be a lot to take in but I don’t know. I really like her and I’d like to see what happens. Hell, I don’t even know if it’s something she’d be okay with but, obviously it’s something we need to discuss before anything happens.”

 

Lincoln turned his head and took in the landscape before them for a few minutes, a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows as he thought long and hard. He eventually squeezed her feet firmly to draw her attention back to him. They locked eyes and he smiled softly.

 

“So long as nothing changes between us, I’m not opposed to the idea. Like I said, she’s pretty cool and we got along. Give me a few days to think everything over and we’ll talk about it again, maybe set out some ground rules before you talk to Raven.”

 

Octavia smiled brightly and reached out to grasp Lincoln’s hand. “Thanks babe.” He grinned back at her and they both leaned back and relaxed, thoroughly enjoying that they were once again in the same city.

 


	15. Day Six - Night / Day Sixteen - Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Game night at Echo's is fun and things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, a bonus chapter to make up for fourteen being late! Also, I edited chapter fourteen to be an actual chapter now so make sure you've read that before moving into this one.
> 
> Comment away my lovelies and send me prompts on tumblr! I am trying to build up a list of one shot AU's so send me an idea and a femslash ship and I'll add it to the list if it's something I think I'd like to write.
> 
> <3

      This time when Clarke and Lexa’s phones went live, they actually paid attention. Clarke rolled over with effort and grumpily woke up from her nap on top of the brunette to check her messages. They had to get out of bed to find their phones as they were either still in pants pockets or were on the coffee table in front of the couch. 

 

      Clarke had a message from her mum, welcoming her back to the city and asking if she’d be over the next weekend for brunch. And then a handful from Octavia, all of them variations on the phrase, ‘Get it’ and Clarke chuckled while she skimmed them, settling instead on the most recent one from her best friend.

 

      **Octavia (4:37pm): Hey asshole. Echo invited all of us to her place tonight for a gaming marathon. Text me.**

 

Clarke sighed and looked to Lexa who was looking at her phone in exacerbation. “You too eh?”

 

      The brunette smirked as she replied. “Oh definitely. Except I have Raven, Echo and Anya all texting me while I assume you only have O. They are impossible.” She shook her head as she huffed in mild annoyance at her friends.

 

      They both threw their phones onto the couch and deigned to shower in preparation of the coming evening. Luckily Clarke’s shower was one of those large walk in ones with glass walls and the two of them fit in it quite easily. Naturally though it took them significantly longer to get clean than it would normally as they filled their time under the spray with other activities before actually doing what they had gone in there to do in the first place.

 

      As they were drying off Clarke shamelessly checked Lexa out as she was dressing in some of Clarke’s clean clothes. More tattoos had been revealed over the past two days, both from the swimming trip and then when they were naked for most of the day. Lexa had a rather incredible watercolour piece under her bust line, a clean line crossed beneath both breasts and swooping around them while brilliantly coloured watercolour drips fell from the line to trail in light rivulets down a few inches below. It looked like war paint if you ignored the vibrant colours. Lexa’s right thigh was covered in a rather incredible pinup tattoo of video game hero Commander Shepard (the female variant obviously.) Clarke was particularly pleased to find a small and simple X in the crease between Lexa’s left thigh and lower navel which was well hidden when she was wearing underclothes. She may have given that tattoo special attention in the form of gratuitous kisses on more than one occasion during the day. What could she say? It begged to be kissed. 

 

      “Clarke, you’re staring again.” Lexa smirked knowingly at the blonde and revelled in the light blush that then coated her cheeks.

 

      Clarke quickly regained her composure and threw a self satisfied grin at the brunette. “Can you blame me? You’re kind of gorgeous not to mention intensely interesting to look at with all your colours. Most people aren’t nearly as cool to look at naked as you are my dear.”

 

      This time it was Lexa’s turn to blush and she coughed delicately as she pulled on one of Clarke’s tank tops, causing the artist to laugh.

 

      They gathered their things and headed out to Echo’s where they were promised pizza if they got there before 6 pm. Free food was enough to entice even the most hardened of individuals and the two almost ran to the car in their haste, and it was entirely possible that Clarke speeded the entire way there in order to make it on time.

 

***

 

      Octavia and Lincoln made it to Echo’s slightly earlier than everyone else, having left early to pick up Bellamy who just so happened to be plan free that night. When O asked Echo if she could bring her brother, the other woman was quick to allow it, citing her interest in the man Octavia had described to her.

 

      They walked up to the little house with a postage stamp sized front yard and knocked loudly on the front door. It took all of five seconds for the door to be opened and on the other side stood Anya. 

 

      No one was surprised when the person to speak up was Octavia. “Sup Anya. I thought we were early but apparently we have nothing on you. I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type.” The shorter woman lightly punched Anya’s shoulder, causing the taller woman to scowl in good nature.

 

      “Joke’s on you O. I’m Echo’s roommate.” With that the older woman turned on her heel and walked into the depths of the house, leaving the front door wide open.

 

      Octavia shared an amused glance with Lincoln while Bellamy simply looked confused. “Don’t worry about her Bell, no one really understands Anya. She’s an acquired taste.” O slapped her brother on the shoulder and dragged Lincoln inside by the hand, leaving Bellamy to trail behind and close the door. They turned to go in the direction Anya had disappeared in, hoping she had gone to the living room. 

 

      The house opened into a long hallway with rooms staggered periodically on each side. Anya had disappeared into the second door on the left, the first one they passed looking like a laundry room. When they looked through the door of the room they found that it indeed was the living area as Anya was sprawled across a large chair, one leg dangling in front and the other stretched across the arm while one arm supported her weight on the chair side and the other thrown over the back. The woman had a habit of completely owning any part of her surroundings, and Octavia wished she had that sort of presence of character.

 

      Through the living room and further into the back of the house was the kitchen, a couch separating the rooms which were marked by the end of hardwood floors and the beginning of large red tiles. Echo was in the kitchen, sitting smack dab in the middle of the counter top on the island. She was cross legged and nursing a beer while scrolling through her phone. Upon the three entering the room she looked up and greeted them with a crooked smile, putting aside her beer and hopping down.

 

      The woman strode over confidently and hugged Octavia before gripping Lincoln by the shoulder. She then turned her attention to Bellamy and swept her gaze up and down shamelessly, walking forward to extend her hand.

 

      “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Echo.” She smirked as Bellamy raised a brow as if to show that he was unaffected, but the bobbing of his adam’s apple as he swallowed gave him away.

 

      O’s brother reached forward and clasped hands with the woman. They shook firmly and this time Bellamy couldn’t hide his impressed grin at Echo’s strength. The two made eyes at each other for a moment before Octavia broke through by yelling loudly as she stepped between them.

 

      “Dude! Where’s the alcohol?” She was standing in front of her brother and she grinned cheekily at Echo who chuckled at the shorter brunette.

 

      “Help yourself O.” She pointed to the fridge behind her and it took all of 5 seconds for Octavia to make a beeline for it, leaving the two to stare awkwardly at each other. Having dragged Lincoln with her, O smirked at him as she waggled her eyebrows at her brother and their host.

 

      Lincoln just shook his head and grinned. 

 

***

 

      Clarke and Lexa were thankfully not the last to show up, that honour fell on Raven who had jumped into a new project as soon as she got home and had yet to crawl out of her mechanically induced haze. Echo, Anya and Lexa assured them that she would be over in no time, she simply tended to throw herself fully into projects but once she came up for air she would gumboot er’ over.

 

      Those of them who actually made it on time managed to demolish the pizzas that were ordered in record time and they were halfway through the alcohol already while they played halo.

 

      Echo was kicking butt, at least until Octavia decided to get involved. She was quickly crowned the new queen and she wore the gnome beard that proved her abilities with pride. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone that she was excited to wear a beard, but both Lincoln and Bellamy were rather put out that she actually wore it well.

 

      It was only when Raven arrived that Clarke and Lexa finally received the teasing they had been sure they’d experience. It seemed the brunette just couldn’t help herself.

 

      As she came into the living room she plopped herself down in the free chair and directed her cheeky grin at the blonde and brunette cuddled up on the couch. “Well well well, blondie and Commander Broody actually managed to stay out of each others pants long enough to grace us with their presence.” In response she got an empty beer can to the forehead courtesy of Commander Broody herself.

 

      Raven squawked inelegantly in response and flailed her arms about before she levelled a harsh glare in their direction.

 

      In true Commander fashion, Lexa simply stared back impassively even when Clarke giggled and buried her face in Lexa’s chest, flush with embarrassment. Only when Raven raised a brow back did either of them respond and Lexa was the first to do so. “You say that as though we should be ashamed Raven. You should know by now that I don’t feel shame, it’s a wast of energy and precious resources.” Lexa’s tone was grave and her face set.

 

      Clarke laughed heartily before she added her two cents. “Besides Raven, if you knew what she was capable of you would have understood why we didn’t show up last night. Or answer any of your texts until a few hours ago. Your best friend is rather talented. In fact, she does this thing with her tongue-”

 

      That little tidbit proved to be too much for the feisty brunette. “LALALALALALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU CLARKE. YOU MIGHT AS WELL STOP NOW.” She held her hands to her ears as she glared at the blonde. Only when Clarke stopped talking did she lower them. “Seriously dude, Lexa is like my sister and I really don’t need to know what her.....” Raven shuddered visibly. “Tongue. Can do. Really, I am okay being left out of the loop on that one.”

 

      The two women tangled in each other on the couch simply grinned and squeezed each other.

 

      Having had enough for the moment, Raven decided to join in on the gaming marathon and she stole a controller directly out of Anya’s hands. Everyone else in the room save for Lexa and Echo inhaled and held their breath, waiting for Anya’s reaction. The woman simply narrowed her eyes at Raven before she shrugged and leaned back against Raven’s chair.

 

      A collective exhale was heard following this and everyone settled with their respective drinks to watch the gaming happening on the ridiculously large television in the room.

 

***

 

      The game nights became a weekly affair although they switched the nights to Fridays so everyone could drink a little without worry. Pizza always went better with alcohol, it was one of the unwritten rules of the universe.

 

      A week and a half following that first game night Octavia was ready to talk to Raven. She and Lincoln had discussed the possibilities and agreed on terms. So long as Octavia didn’t start neglecting him he was okay with it. They agreed that although for the moment neither he or Raven seemed to want anything from each other besides friendship, they would have the right to make that call in the future if it came to that and Octavia readily accepted those terms. 

 

      Neither Octavia or Lincoln drank much that night and nor did Raven to the shorter brunette’s pleasure. She wanted everyone to be sober for the conversation she intended on having later on in the night.

 

      It was only after Raven wiped the floor with everyone she played against that Octavia saw her opening. The controllers were set aside so everyone could grab a drink or go to the washroom so O spoke up.

 

      “Hey Ray, want to go get some fresh air with me?”

 

      The mechanic smiled at her and in lieu of a response she got to her feet to follow Octavia who headed back towards the balcony leading off from the back of the kitchen.

 

      Once outside the two of them leaned their arms on the railing around the raised deck, their shoulders brushing slightly. Octavia felt it and she was sure Raven did as well if the other girl’s sudden shifting and shuttered breath was anything to go by.

 

      “So. I have something to say to you.”

 

      Raven sucked in a breath, sure where this conversation was going. Clearly she had been too obvious in her affections and Octavia was uncomfortable and about to ask her to lay off since she was in a committed relationship.

 

      But what came out of the girl’s mouth was far from expected.

 

      “There’s a chance this may ruin our relationship but I feel like it’s worth chancing anyway.” Octavia had turned to face Raven but the mechanic hadn’t moved nor turned her head to regard the other woman. She remained steadfastly facing toward the back yard, refusing to meet Octavia’s eyes.

 

      _Here it comes._

 

“I spoke to Lincoln and we agreed on a few points but before anything can progress I need to get your input.” At this Octavia reached a hand out to grasp Raven’s chin, turning her face so she could look at her properly. Reluctantly Raven met her gaze. “So it boils down to this. He is okay with the idea of me seeing you while I’m seeing him.”

 

      Raven’s heartbeat stuttered.

 

      “I don’t know what you think of that but I need to risk it since I really really like you Raven. There’s some serious chemistry between us and I want to see what happens if we let it lie. What do you think?” Octavia ran her thumb tenderly across Raven’s cheekbone as the mechanic took in her words with a blank expression.

 

      Octavia felt numb. 

 

_Shit, she is not cool with this. God why did I think this was a good idea-_

 

Her mind was off on a tangent and at Raven’s lack of response she stepped back and removed her hand, placing it self consciously in her pants pocket. She didn’t get far in her thought process before Raven cut those thoughts off. The brunette had surged forward and pushed her lips insistently on Octavia’s.

 

      O stood stock still for a moment before she melted slightly into the other woman, throwing her arms around her neck and pulling Raven towards her to be flush against her.

 

      They did’t go slow, it wasn’t either of their speed. They knew what they wanted so why waste time being coy? The kiss deepened and O moaned at the soft and insistent pressure of Raven’s tongue against hers.

 

      “Oh good, you guys have talked then.” They broke apart abruptly to see Lincoln standing in the doorway with an amused grin on his lips.

 

      Raven was the first to recover, Octavia was apparently still hazy. “Yup! We moved on from there rather quickly.” She smirked at the man before she sobered and stepped towards him. “Listen, I guess I have you to thank for this so.... thank I guess.”

 

      A soft smile preceded his reply and he shrugged. “I kind of love Octavia and she feels something for you. Who am I to tell her what is and isn’t okay to do? She’s honest with me so I can’t really ask for anything else. Possessiveness doesn’t really gel with her so, be aware of that.” He lowered his chin and wagged a finger at the mechanic, inducing a chuckle from the svelte brunette. 

 

      “Dully noted.” At this Raven extended a hand towards Lincoln. He ignored it and strode forward to lift Raven in a strong bear hug to which she replied with an exhale of breath as she laughed.

 

      Octavia had finally recovered and she smiled, stepping forward to join the hug.

 


	16. Day Thirty One - Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has elapsed, Clexa is insatiable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. More smut. Stay away mum.
> 
> I stayed up until 1am on a night where I have to be up by 6am the next day so I really hope you guys like this one.
> 
> Comment away my lovelies! Also please send me Clexa prompts to my tumblr ask, I haven't gotten any oneshot requests for this ship and I really want to write some.
> 
> Love.

Clarke was spending the weekend at Lexa’s place since they’d spent most of the last two weeks at her place exclusively, and she had discovered a few new key things about the brunette.

 

The closed door in her apartment turned out to be her work room / nerd room. They were both situated in the room at that moment, Lexa sitting in front of her sewing machine and working carefully on a soft leather tunic she was tailoring herself. And Clarke was sprawled on the old and sagging couch which was situated kitty corner to Lexa’s desk. The cosplayer had a thing for old and comfortable couches, this was the third in her apartment. The leather one in the main room, this one, and a smaller one in her overlarge bedroom. Clarke had already napped on all of them and she had only been there regularly over the past two days.

 

Most of the rest of the room either held neatly stacked bins of costumes, costume supplies, various work stations for different crafting, and the occasional display cabinet of nerd paraphernalia. The walls were covered with beautiful lithographs, giclees, and autographed movie posters. 

 

With a stretch, Lexa sat back from the sewing machine and lifted her work in the air to look at with an appraising eye. Clarke had been aware of what the new costume was for but she had forgotten it rather quickly. She knew of the game Skyrim but she hadn’t ever actually played it and she certainly didn’t know enough about it to know what faction or whatever the outfit belonged to. All she knew was the leather was dark, almost black but weathered and there was a huge hood and mask attached to the tunic. She thinks there was supposed to be a cape too but she wasn’t sure. The name had something to do with night and stealing stuff, or something.

 

Lexa nodded in satisfaction and she placed the article on the side of the sewing table, craning her neck from side to side which made a popping sound. She twisted her back and rhythmic popping was heard clear across the room.

 

Clarke wrinkled her nose and picked up her eraser which was sitting with a small selection of drawing implements next to her on the couch, and she chucked it at Lexa. It hit her square in the side of the head and the brunette whipped her head to the side with a murderous glare. Clarke smiled innocently and turned her eyes back to her sketching, biting her lip.

 

It was only a moment later that Clarke saw movement out of the corner of her eye but she wasn’t fast enough to dodge it. Lexa had darted over to the couch and she grabbed Clarke, lifting her bridal style as the blonde yelped and flailed her arms, sending her sketchbook and pencil flying to the floor. Instead of grabbing onto the brunette, she squirmed with a laugh and tried to escape.

 

“Lexa!!! Put me down you big oaf!” She slapped her hands weakly against the firm chest she was pressed against, only causing the cosplayer to smirk and start walking out of the room.

 

“Wow Clarke, you’ve been sitting so long on that couch that you’ve started to mould. You kind of smell.” Lexa teased Clarke, knowing full well that she smelled like lilacs and lilies of the valley.

 

As Lexa carried the struggling blonde down the hall, Clarke took in their trajectory and her eyes widened while her mouth gaped comically. “Lexa, you wouldn’t _dare._ ”

 

Reaching further down the hall, Lexa shouldered open the bathroom door and once inside she kicked it closed. “I have no idea what you’re implying Clarke. I’m not doing anything nefarious, I’m simply helping you out.”

 

With that she stepped into the shower with Clarke still in her arms and she kneed the thankfully low shower dial, immediately causing freezing water to shoot out over the two of them.

 

This time Clarke did reach up and grapple onto Lexa, the two of them gasping from the cold water against their skin. The artist tightened her arms around Lexa’s neck, nuzzling into the long and slender neck with a hearty laugh. “You’re an asshole, Lexa.”

 

“Yes Clarke, but I’m your asshole.”

 

“Then I guess you’re no good to me. I already have one and a second would be rather useless.”

 

Lexa wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

 

Giggling, Clarke shifted slightly so her lips were dragging along the top of Lexa’s neck and her hands were winding into long wet hair.

 

To her delight, Lexa’s response was instant and in the form of a quick inhale and hands tightening around Clarke. “No fair Clarke, I won fair and square. This constitutes cheating.”

 

Clarke responded with a chuckle. “I have no idea what you’re implying Lexa.” She parroted Lexa’s earlier words back at the brunette, still ghosting her lips up her neck to nibble behind her ear.

 

A moan escaped through the cosplayers lips and she shifted to lower Clarke to stand in the shower with her, pushing the blonde against the wall with her own body so she could capture the grinning lips with her own. As Clarke melted into her kiss, Lexa reached a hand out and adjusted the shower’s temperature to be warmer as her skin was tingling and slightly numb. She most certainly wanted to feel what came next so that just wouldn’t do.

 

When she was satisfied with the now lukewarm water splashing over them, Lexa returned her hand to Clarke and it found a wet and exposed hip and grasped greedily.

 

Slick tongues danced and teeth dragged across lips, the force of Clarke’s kiss pushing Lexa’s head backwards as the blonde’s hands travelled up Lexa’s back to unclasp her bra. Quick hands grasped the now free breasts below the hanging bra and shirt, causing a whine to escape Lexa’s throat.

 

Next thing she knew, Lexa was being pushed forcefully so her back collided with the back of the shower as Clarke dropped to her knees in front of her and pulled down the sweatpants and underwear stuck to the brunette’s body by the water. The blonde didn’t move to relieve the wet ache between Lexa’s legs just yet, she was in a teasing mood thanks to their little competition earlier. Lexa may have won the battle, but she was determined to win the war.

 

Instead of moving to where Lexa wanted, Clarke latched her lips around a prominent hip bone and bit with force, leaving what would later be a beautiful bruise later. She and Lexa had discussed their preferences the week before since they had barely stopped after they’d started and Lexa had been quick to admit that a bit of roughness really did it for her. A bite here, a nip there, a sharp tug of her hair when she was close.

 

Lexa was writhing above her and her hands tried to direct Clarke back to her thoroughly soaked core, spreading her legs as much as she could while still holding herself up. Clarke was stubborn though and she instead moved to place a matching bruise on the other hip bone. The cosplayer groaned in frustration. 

 

“Come on Clarke.” The words came out in a growl and Lexa’s eyes flashed in desire and impatience. 

 

“Not yet, Lexa.” One of Clarke’s hands raised to trace the lines on the watercolour tattoo below Lexa’s breasts, applying slightly more pressure the higher her fingers travelled and feathering down to a barely there touch in the middle of her navel. Lexa was particularly sensitive below her breasts and Clarke was never one to shy away from an opportunity.

 

She let her hand roam as it traced tattoos within reach and she kissed below the brunette’s breasts, nipping the heavy undersides and licking up to tease hardened nipples.

 

Lexa was worried she’d go cross eyed from anticipation and lack of release but what Clarke was doing felt so _good,_ and she wasn’t going to complain if Clarke was feeling generous. Well, she wouldn’t complain too much.

 

The cosplayer was about to speak when movement caught her eye. She let her eye’s travel down Clarke’s form to see a bobbing elbow, and she quickly deduced that Clarke’s hand was in her own sweats and was working fastidiously on herself.

 

Lexa moaned rather loudly at the sight while her brain was trying to tell her that Clarke had some _nerve,_ teasing her while the blonde got relief herself. 

 

“Clarke, god watching you fuck yourself is killing me. Please, touch me.” She was begging now and she did not care. Clarke could win this one, she didn’t have any moves left and she no longer saw any reason to ‘win’ whatever little battle of wills was going on between them. The way she saw it, Clarke winning could only benefit her anyway so why not give in to it?

 

But one measly little please wasn’t enough, obviously. “I’m sorry, did you say something Lexa?” Clarke bit harder on the navel she was littering with kisses and bruises, as though to punctuate her point.

 

Lexa’s breath hitched deliciously and her next words were strangled. “Please Clarke, please fuck me. I can’t take it anymore, you’re killing me. Please, please please please.....” Her words trailed off as Clarke smirked against her skin, finally lowering herself to kneel more fully in front of the delectable sight in front of her.

 

She removed her hand from her shorts and she grabbed one of Lexa’s legs, bringing it over her shoulder before she ducked her head and flicked the barbell with her tongue, twisting it slightly while she nudged her chin in the incredible amount of wetness below. Lexa’s reaction was worth the teasing as she bucked her hips uncontrollably, her hands finding their way into Clarke’s hair and holding on tightly as though she’d lose her anchor to this reality of she let go.

 

Her breaths came raggedly and she hung her head in front of her, wrapping herself around the woman undoing her with a skilled tongue and deft fingers. “Goddamn it Clarke, never stop doing that.” Her fingers dug into the blonde’s scalp with force and Clarke groaned into the moist skin surrounding her lips and nose and she renewed her assault on Lexa’s entrance with more vigour as her hand found it’s way back to her own throbbing and wet centre.

 

As Clarke worked Lexa higher and higher with her ministrations, the fingers on one hand playing with Lexa’s clit hood piercing and her other fingers buried in herself hilt deep as she matched her two paces, trying to time them to peak together. Although the moans and mewls the brunette was emitting were like to get her there first because _fuck,_ when Lexa was vocal it just about had her orgasming right there. The woman’s voice was sinful and only more so when she was aroused.

 

Finally, Clarke felt Lexa’s hands tugging her hair violently and the cosplayer came with a breathless scream, grinding against Clarke’s face while the blonde continued her methodic and effective actions. 

 

Lexa felt light headed and she saw stars behind her eyes, same as she did every time Clarke brought her up. No one had brought her quite so high in the past and Lexa had started calling her the Sky Girl in her head, attributed to the blonde’s ability to lift her high enough to lose the ability to breath and to see the constellations in the backs of her own eyelids.

 

She loosened her hold and started to lower her leg from Clarke’s shoulder only for the woman to reach around and grip it, not allowing it to move. The blonde then grabbed the other leg and hoisted it up onto her other shoulder, thus forcing Lexa to reach out quickly and grasp the shower rod which thankfully was built in and could withstand the weight. Clarke lowered her hand to herself again while Lexa crossed her ankles behind Clarke’s back, allowing herself to be held by the strong width of shoulders below her legs.

 

“Clarke-” She halted her words with a strangled cry as Clarke moved her mouth from her vagina only to wrap her lips around both her clit and her piercing, flicking her tongue across both as she sucked the sensitive flesh. 

 

A garbled sentence escaped from Lexa’s throat, she wasn’t even sure what she had been trying to say at this point. Her vision was clouding and she felt the heat rising in her abdomen once again, and she tumbled into her second orgasm in succession after a few moments of the intense actions of the blonde between her legs.

 

She rode Clarke’s face mercilessly, screaming obscenities and Clarke’s name over and over again.

 

This is what pushed Clarke over the edge, hearing the wanton release of the woman above her and the raspy voice which was losing it’s power for the excessive amount of use it had seen in the last little while. That and the fact that Lexa just tasted _so good._

 

Clarke moaned loudly into Lexa’s wet and throbbing core as her fingers pumped and ground into herself and she breathed into Lexa, her mouth detaching long enough for her to breath deeply and ground herself as she rode out a particularly hot and mind numbing orgasm.

 

The two girls stayed in this position for a moment, catching their breath as their vision cleared and they smirked at each other. Lexa lowered a leg, placing it firmly on the tub floor before she lowered the second and allowed Clarke to stand fully.

 

They kissed languidly and stepped into the spray, removing the clothing that was still stuck to their skin so they could actually wash.

 

After they finished the shower portion of their activities Clarke turned to Lexa with a towel around her body. “So.”

 

Lexa arched a brow inquisitively.

 

Clarke cleared her throat nervously.

 

_Wait, what? She was literally expertly eating me out not 10 minutes ago. Why does she look nervous?_

 

The blonde averted her gaze from the brunette while she said her next sentence. “So, we’ve been having mind blowing sex basically constantly over the last few weeks and we see each other almost every day.” She fidgeted, her fingers winding in themselves before she continued. “We’re basically there already but I’d like to make it official. Lexa, can I call you my girlfriend?”

 

All of a sudden, Lexa understood the woman’s nerves. They had been having sex regularly over the last while and Clarke was right, they were basically in a relationship already. She hadn’t realized though that Clarke might have been worried that whatever it was they were doing might have meant less to the cosplayer than it clearly did to her.

 

Lexa smiled softly and walked forward, bringing a hand up to cup Clarke’s cheek as she leaned slightly to place a chaste kiss on Clarke’s pink lips.

 

“Of course I’ll be your girlfriend Clarke.”

 

Clarke smiled dazzlingly, her eyes joyous as she leapt forward to hug Lexa with strength.

 

This time, Lexa saw stars behind her eyes without the help of an orgasm and she smiled into the haloed hair brushing softly against her cheek.

 


	17. Day Thirty Eight - Afternoon / Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke has a dilemma. Octavia has a solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Tired. But I wanted to have this out. Hope you guys like it.
> 
> Comment, prompt, the usual.
> 
> Sorry, my eyes are actually weighed down so heavily right now that typing is difficult so I'm keeping it short on purpose.
> 
> Love

It had been a month since the drive back from the convention and Clarke _still_ didn’t have her car back. Every time she called the shop to inquire about it’s progress, she got told some bullshit excuse for why it wasn’t fixed. 

 

The first time it was ‘your differential fluid is dirty, we need to flush it and the oil is on backorder so it’ll be a few days.’ Then it was ‘Your power steering fluid is foamy, it needs a flush too.’ Followed by ‘We recommend new brakes since your’s squeal.’ 

 

Most of these things (among others) Clarke refused but they had her keys and they insisted that it was unsafe to drive and that they’d be liable if they let her drive it on public roads.

 

She was furious and O could see it, plain as day. 

 

“Umm... Clarke? You okay there lady?” Octavia was flaked out across Clarke’s bed upside down, head hanging over the side as she watched Clarke pace and type angrily on her phone.

 

“Fine.” The response was curt and obviously far from the truth. Octavia didn’t get the chance to respond though because all of a sudden, Clarke had let her pacing take her to the bed where she fell bodily across her best friend to bury her face in O’s neck. “Not fine.” The words were muffled and they tickled the brunette’s neck.

 

With a sigh Octavia hugged the blonde and asked her again. “Seriously dude, somethings up your ass so you might as well tell me.”

 

Clarke chuckled darkly into the tanned and toned neck. “My car is still in the shop and they won’t give it back because it’s and I quote ‘not road safe’ but all the repairs are bullshit up-sells that I won’t agree to. I’m trying to figure out how to get it back because they don’t think I know anything since I’m a ‘dumb blonde’ who doesn’t know a distributor cap from a dipstick.”

 

In lieu of responding verbally, Octavia stuffed her hand into her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone, quickly sending off a text before tossing it on the mattress and cuddling more with Clarke.

 

“What was that about?” The artist lifted her head to regard Octavia with a suspicious glare.

 

Octavia just shrugged. “I texted Raven. She’s a mechanic you know. Also, she has a rather nasty mean streak. I can guarantee she can A- get your car back. And B- fix whatever the issue is for you as well as doing it for half their cost.”

 

“Look at you and your connections.” Clarke huffed a laugh into O’s collarbone.

 

“Dating a hot Latina with a mechanical brain and a penchant for violence has it’s perks.” Octavia grinned.

 

Clarke rolled over slightly and regarded her friend from her position above her, one elbow holding her upright. “How is that going anyway? The whole you dating Lincoln and Raven thing.”

 

“So far so good. Nothing really exciting has happened yet. We’re still in the courting phase.”

 

To say Clarke was surprised would be an understatement. Her eyebrows raised up into her hair line and they would have flown off her forehead if they had wings. “Holy shit you haven’t slept with her yet? You usually don’t wait so long, what with your ‘testing the waters before diving in’ theory.”

 

“Usually yes, but Raven is different. It was the same with Lincoln actually, they are the only two people I haven’t jumped into bed with right away and I think that’s a good thing for me, and for our relationship.”

 

Octavia had the tiniest smile on her face as she spoke of Raven and Lincoln, and Clarke could see the affection plain as day. The blonde couldn’t help but to smile like an idiot at how happy her friend was. “I’m happy for you O. They’re both pretty cool people.”

 

The artist flopped down again and snuggled into her best friend.

 

With a chuckle O shifted so her head was actually on the mattress and the two fell asleep spooning.

 

***

 

That’s how Raven found them when she swung by Clarke’s place after getting a summons text from Octavia. Ever since all the women had come back to town, they’d been at each other’s places often enough to either know the location of the spare key or to actually have a spare of their own. Raven and Lexa were the only two Clarke actually gave keys to though. O already had one naturally.

 

Raven giggled at the site of her kind of girlfriend cuddled up to Clarke. They looked hella comfortable and she was kinda tired after her work day so she shed her boots and jacket and fell smack dab between the two of them, causing them to grumble in their sleep before O threw an arm around her waist and nuzzled into her neck while Clarke threw a leg over hers, letting her forehead bump into Raven’s shoulder.

 

***

 

“So. You say they’re up-selling the shit out of you and they won’t let you pick up your vehicle because ‘you are too dumb to know what’s safe and what isn’t?”

 

Raven was fuming, her eyes narrowed to slits and her jaw was fixed.

 

“Well, not in so many words but basically. I just want my jeep back.” Clarke pouted and slouched down on her barstool in her kitchen. Seeing her friends distress, Octavia walked over behind Clarke and wound her arms around her waist and rested her chin on her shoulder.

 

“Well that settles it then. Get your coat, we’re going to get your jeep.” Raven smacked her hands on the counter decisively, grabbing her own set of keys and beckoning for the other two to follow them.

 

As they walked up to the apartment door it swung open to reveal an arriving Lexa. The tall brunette looked adorably confused at the angry girl gang in front of her and she threw a raised eyebrow at Clarke for clarification.

 

“Raven and O are going to help me get back my jeep. The shop is open until 8 so we have time.” Clarke shrugged, still slightly peeved about the situation although not nearly as much as Raven was.

 

Octavia spoke up. “Hey why don’t you come with? Between the four of us we can probably scare the guy into letting Clarke take her jeep back. By force if necessary. And you my dear, cut an imposing figure when you’re pissed.” Her hands were twisted behind her back and she swayed back and forth a bit with a bright smile. Only O could say something like that and make it into a compliment. Or rather, only Lexa would take it as one.

 

“Thank you.” She deadpanned as she stepped back into the hallway, being quickly followed by the others. 

 

They all piled into Raven’s truck and headed off. It took all of 15 minutes to make it to the shop and thankfully there were no other customers around. The small girl gang hopped out and made their way towards the front door.

 

Once inside, the young man behind the counter smiled greasily at them, Clarke in particular.

 

Lexa’s eyes hardened upon seeing this and she puffed herself up to her full height, her entire body tensing in immediate dislike. Octavia and Raven were amused and shared a quick look while the four made it to the counter.

 

“Sup Clarke. You ready to let me under that hood yet?” He grinned lecherously and Clarke shuddered at the double entendre. 

 

At this Lexa adjusted her stance to be closer to Clarke’s, hovering protectively, not that Clarke needed protecting. She was fully capable but Lexa was a self defence trainer after all, so her acting defensive was par for the course really.

 

“Ugh, drop it Murphy. I just want my jeep back. Give me my keys and I’ll settle the bill for whatever you did to it.” Clarke held her hand out expectantly.

 

“Um, actually Clarke. You don’t necessarily have to pay anything. Did you sign anything when you dropped your car off? A work order for expected costs perhaps?” Raven glared at the man behind the counter who all of a sudden looked nervous and angry.

 

“Actually Raven, yes I did. What does that have to do with anything? If he did work don’t I have to pay for it?” Clarke knew he had been trying to stiff her (shudder, again) but she didn’t realize what Raven was getting at.

 

“Not if you signed a release for specific work. If he did anything that wasn’t covered in your pre agreement or that you agreed to verbally, you aren’t liable to pay for it. Did you agree to anything other than the original alternator replacement?” She smirked at the man before turning her gaze to the blonde.

 

Clarke looked suspiciously at John Murphy who was now glaring daggers at Raven with his mouth clamped shut. He moved to say something but at that moment Octavia took a step forward to join the other three and the four pissed off women on the other side of the counter struck a strong enough figure that he smartly backed down.

 

“In that case Raven, no I didn’t. I even have a copy of it if that’ll help. Now then Murphy, let me pay for the alternator repair and we’ll be on our merry little way. No harm, no foul.”

 

“Bullshit no foul.” Lexa spoke up, only to be appeased by a soft touch to her arm by her girlfriend.

 

Murphy glared at them for a moment before he turned to pull her work order out of the bin on the wall. He accepted her payment (cash, she didn’t trust his machines not to pull her information from her cards. He felt like that kind of guy.) and threw her keys at her with more force than was really required and Clarke and Lexa hopped into the vehicle, driving it out of the shop.

 

She stopped it next to Raven’s truck which now held the other two brunettes, and rolled down her window to speak to them.

 

“Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate this.” She smiled relievedly at the women.

 

Raven just chuckled as she responded. “No problem Clarkey, why don't you follow me to my house? I’ll take a peek at your beast and let you know if anything he said needs work actually does.”

 

The blonde sighed in relief. “That would be amazing. You have no idea.”

 

Raven nodded her head and put her truck in gear, pealing out of the lot with Clarke right behind her. They made it to her house in just over a half hour, both vehicles blaring with music and occupied by dancing women. 

 

Finding that Raven’s parking pad was rather large and fed right into the garage, Clarke pulled up and put the jeep into park before shutting it off and hopping out.

 

“Alright. Let’s see what we’ve got here!” Raven clapped her hands together and rubbed them excitedly.

 

***

 

Raven had finished with her inspection rather quickly, only taking about 10 minutes to go over the whole vehicle. She determined that not only was Murphy a skeez but he was also an idiot. The oil in the differentials didn’t need changing as Dodge’s stock oil was dark from factory, and it wasn’t actually dirty. The power steering fluid looked fine and the brakes were perfectly functional. Turns out, a squeal is not necessarily indicative of anything wrong. It could be as simple as dust or ice on the rotors or a pebble stuck in the rotor shroud and rubbing with the application of the brakes.

 

With a satisfied smile, Raven shut the hood and latched it before heading onto her back patio which sat next to her garage. The other three women were sitting around, nursing drinks and chatting away.

 

Clarke looked up as Raven made her way up to sit between Octavia’s legs, the brunette having simply sat on the patio with her back against the railing. “So, what’s the verdict. Do I have to spend more money?”

 

Raven found and popped a beer before answering. “Nope, that dude was feeding you bullshit of the highest quality. Literally nothing else is wrong with your car. In fact, it’s in kind of amazing condition.”

 

The sigh of relief was long and loud and Clarke leaned her head over to book against her girlfriends shoulder, enticing the woman to wrap her arm around the blonde.

 

“You are literally my hero. I might be in love with you.” Clarke laughed.

 

Lexa smirked slightly and raised her chin at Raven. “Be aware of who you’d be up against Raven if you acted on those words.”

 

“Nah, I’m quite happy with this one.” At this she slapped a hand on O’s thigh, eliciting a yelp from the brunette who poked the mechanic in the ribs.

 

As the two women had a mini poking and slapping fight with each other, Clarke looked up at her girlfriend with a soft smile. “Hey you.” She bit Lexa’s clothed shoulder lightly.

 

Lexa’s lips twitched upwards. “Hey yourself. Ready to go soon? I have work in the morning and my car is at your place.”

 

“Yeah for sure.” Clarke placed a chaste kiss against Lexa’s lips before turning to her best friend. “Hey O, we’re going to head out. Thanks again Raven, I really owe you one.”

 

“Pfffft. Don’t be an idiot. You don’t owe me anything.” Raven smiled up at the blonde who had stood up with the tallest of their group.

 

Clarke only nodded her head with a chuckle, waving to Octavia who was drifting off with her chin on Raven’s shoulder. The blonde pulled Lexa by the hand and the two got into the jeep and drove to Clarke’s place.

 

It was rather late by that time and the fatigue was obvious on Lexa’s face.

 

“Hey, why don’t you just stay the night? You look to tired to drive home tonight.”

 

“You sure?” Lexa questioned Clarke, confusing the blonde slightly but not deterring her.

 

“Well yeah of course. Come on, let’s get to bed.” Clarke smiled brightly and climbed down from the drivers seat, waiting for Lexa to reach her before beeping the vehicle locked. They stepped into the apartment building elevator and rode it up to Clarke’s floor.

 

Once there the day’s exploits weighed heavily in their bones and they only managed to strip and get under the sheets before falling asleep.

 

Lexa smiled softly as she thought on her earlier thought when Clarke asked her to stay the night. This was the first time that they were sleeping together but not actually having sex. It felt couple-y and Lexa had to say she liked it. Their sex was amazing, there was no question about that. But the simple act of sleeping together felt like a different level of intimacy.

 

She was glad to have reached that point with Clarke and she doubly enjoyed that she had that feeling to herself for the moment.

 

With smiles on their faces, they drifted off in a matter of minutes, tangled together like some infinite knot.

 


	18. Day Forty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hijinks, fluff, adorably out of the loop Lexa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY THERE WAS NO CHAPTER LAST WEEK. I have been so burned out the last few weeks. I only finally feel human today so, here you go! I wouldn't have allowed a lapse if my brain had been in a place to produce anything. Seriously, I couldn't do anything. I worked long days and when I got home all I had the energy for was lazy tumblr scrolling and sleep.
> 
> Please, comment away! And if you're so inclined, message me on my tumblr @ TheSpaminator if you have questions or any prompts you'd be interested in seeing me do!
> 
> Love

Following the jeep ‘incident’ the girls tended to hang out more often than the obligatory Friday’s at Anya’s house. And of course, many of those times ended up also including Lincoln as the trio were by this point practically inseparable. 

 

It was a Saturday afternoon and Clarke and Lexa were rudely awoken to O’s ringtone. Clarke groaned and rolled over, intent on ending the forceful audial barrage. 

 

With lazy hands, she grasped her phone loosely and looked for the text which was quickly followed by a few others. Her brain wasn’t processing as fast as that yet and she felt her eyes cross momentarily before she focussed enough to actually read..

 

**Octavia (8:12am): Gey.**

 

**Octavia (8:12am): HAH. That was a typo, but it’s rather apropos don’t you think?**

 

**Octavia (8:12am): ANYWAY. I tried texting Lexa first but I think her phone is dead. You two need to get your cute little butts down to the gym. We’re having a sparring session. Anya and Echo are already on their way.**

 

Clarke rolled her eyes and momentarily panicked that they were stuck before her not even close to awake brain remembered that she had control over them. She moved to respond that sleep was more important but O beat her to it.

 

**Octavia (8:13 am): AND NO EXCUSES CLARKE. I will see you here by 9 or we will have serious words young lady.**

 

The sleepy blonde bit her lower lip and forced the rusty cogs of her brain to come up with something smart to say that would get them out of this sudden obligation.

 

**Octavia (8:15am): Oh. And I have croque monsieurs from that cute little french cafe down the street from the gym that you like. Plus a full thermos of latte for you.**

 

At the promise of toasted, gooey, cheesy, ham filled goodness Clarke shot to her feet. Turns out, her feet hadn’t woken up yet and she face planted. Honestly, she didn’t even have a twisted blanket around her feet or anything to use as an excuse. Her feet simply were not prepared to be awake that early. She sympathized.

 

The blonde pulled herself to her feet with a grunt and she looked over at the cozy Lexa in her blanket burrito and she thought up a genius plan. She grinned devilishly and padded her bare feet around to stand next to her girlfriend.

 

Without warning she reached forward and grabbed Lexa’s back firmly and pulled with all her might. The brunette rolled off the side of the bed and squeaked midair before landing semi-softly (thanks to her burrito) on Clarke’s floor.

 

“Good morning star shine! The earth says hello!” Clarke had the biggest and brightest smile on her face and she’d raised her hands fully into the air and stood on her tippy toes, a sliver of her stomach showing between her tank top and booty shorts.

 

A muffled sound resembling speech was heard from the centre of the blanket pile on her floor. The only other sign of life was the messy mop of brown hair trailing from the end.

 

With Lexa’s height and ability to wrap herself so tightly in the sheets, plus her hair sticking out the top of blankets, Clarke was struck with the sudden image of a paintbrush. She laughed loudly at the realization.

 

“Oh my god Leeeexaa. You’ve been hanging out with me so often that you’re literally turning into a paintbrush.” Clarke giggled and dropped herself on top of Lexa, boxing in the immovable lump with her arms and legs. “My girlfriend is a paintbrush.” She giggled again and nuzzled into what she presumed was Lexa’s neck.

 

A slightly louder mumble was heard from the paintbrush and Clarke sighed before reaching up and pulling down the casing enough to see her girlfriends beautifully groggy and pouty face. “What was that paintbrush?”

 

Lexa huffed. “Why do you always insist on waking me up in the most obscure ways?”

 

Clarke smiled and planted a quick kiss to the perfectly pink and plush lips. “Because it happens to me all the time so it’s only fair I return the favour occasionally. Don’t you think?”

 

The brunette glared but it held little actual malice.

 

“Anyway, O told us we have to be at the gym in like 40 minutes so we should probably get up.” With that the blonde scampered to her feet and left Lexa laying on the floor.

 

A soft sigh was heard before Clarke caught sight of Lexa finally standing up out of the corner of her eye from her position by her clothing hanger in the corner. She pursed her lips in approval both at Lexa’s quick(ish) reaction as well as her girlfriends form. Lexa rarely slept in more than a sports bra and boxer briefs and last night had been no exception. She wore them well and Clarke couldn’t help but admire her momentarily while she picked out workout clothes.

 

Lexa padded over quietly and planted a kiss on the top of Clarke’s shoulder before reaching down to rummage through her duffel bag which was sitting on the floor next to Clarke’s clothes.

 

They found their outfits and dressed sluggishly, neither bothering with coffee as O had after all promised breakfast. Moving in tandem they entered the bathroom and brushed their teeth over Clarke’s single sink, shoulders brushing the whole time. They took turns washing their faces and flicked water at each other playfully, still not awake enough for it to turn into a fully fledged water fight but it was a fun moment nonetheless.

 

It was quarter to when they piled into Clarke’s jeep and headed out.

 

***

 

It was all of 9:01 by the time they walked through the gym doors and were assaulted by a brawny brunette.

 

“CLARKE! You’re late.” Octavia had jumped on Clarke’s back, knees up and pushing into her shoulder blades while her hands pulled back the slumping shoulders.

 

“Breakfast.” Clarke was used to this greeting and by this point, her core strength was enough that she had no problem bearing the weight of her best friend on her back.

 

“Love you too.” The energetic girl smoothly dropped to her feet and pointed to the back of the gym where the food was laid out on a small foldout table. Clarke sighed and smiled dreamily and she drifted towards the delectable smell of her favourite breakfast, her nose leading her a few inches ahead of the rest of her body.

 

Lexa nodded shortly at Octavia who saluted her with a grin. Lexa rolled her eyes but she smirked slightly. She had made it halfway across the mats to join Clarke at the table when she was tackled fully from the side and knocked onto the floor, with the weight of a full sized human on top of her.

 

“One, nothing.” Anya got up from where she had been on top of Lexa and she loomed menacingly. Or at least, to anyone other than Lexa she would have been menacing.

 

Her loom didn’t last long as Lexa swept her legs out and knocked the sharp brunette’s feet out from under her causing her to land solidly on her backside.

 

“One, one.” 

 

Anya grinned, all sharp teeth and wide lips. She looked ready to rip someones throat out. 

 

So naturally, Lexa lunged. Chaos ensued.

 

Clarke was blissfully oblivious, munching away on a croque monsieur with a steaming cup of breakfast tea latte in her other hand. Octavia was sparring with Lincoln on the other side of the gym, Echo was standing next to Clarke and was also enjoying the excellent breakfast.

 

While eating, Clarke and Echo made small talk, the bouncer grinning at seemingly random moments in the conversation. Clarke was still not awake enough to register the facial expressions but Echo was thoroughly enjoying herself.

 

Between Clarke telling her of her newest artistic endeavour, Echo was graced with the sight of Lexa and Anya fighting tooth and nail in the middle of the room. They would be fighting and one would be winning before they momentarily disappeared behind Clarke’s head and reappeared on the other side of the blonde’s head with the other having taken the top position. Besides the sight of the two wrestling, the occasional grunt and expletive was heard.

 

“Rude, Anya.”

 

“Suck my dick Lexa.”

 

It was one of Echo’s favourite traditions, being entertained by Lexa and Anya’s morning sparring.

 

***

 

By lunchtime Lexa, Anya, Echo and Lincoln were worn to the bone. But of course, Octavia was still raring to go. Clarke was fine seeing as she had done a few jumping jacks, her core workout and then called it a day. She wasn’t a fitness nut like the others so just doing her daily maintenance was plenty for her besides, by sitting out most of the morning she got to watch Lexa in all her glory.

 

She had watched her work out when they were at the convention obviously, and she had witnessed a few morning and sometimes evening spur of the moment workouts when they were hanging out. However, this was the first time she got to watch Lexa go completely all out. Turns out, Anya was a worthy opponent.

 

The two had circled, dived at each other, grappled, and sparred until they could barely lift their arms. Anya struck an even more imposing figure when flushed and sweaty which, seriously? That woman had no chill.

 

Lexa however, was a sight Clarke was having trouble averting her eyes from. In fact, she was pretty sure the image was seared into her brain for all eternity and she was quite okay with it. She’d probably be a crazy senile old woman in a nursing home someday without a clue to who or where she was, but she’d probably be found sitting in a rocking chair by a window with a wistful expression on her face as the image of a sweaty and tightly coiled Lexa raced through her brain. She was _that_ impressive.

 

Regrettably, she was broken out of her reverie when a bouncing Octavia waved a calloused hand in her face. 

 

“Clarke. We’re hitting the showers then going for waffles!!!! You in?” O was literally bouncing on the balls of her feet, energy coming in waves off of the plucky brunette.

 

Clarke flicked her eyes to Lexa and the brunette met her gaze, shaking her head slightly before jerking it backwards towards the door.

 

“No to the showers, I’ll let you know about the waffles. Lexa and I are heading out.” The blonde shot to her feet and tackle glomped her best friend, forcing a breathy oof out of the brunette.

 

O returned the hug with vigour before releasing her hold on Clarke to stride towards the showers with everyone else. 

 

Clarke chuckled as she walked over to Lexa, linking her arm with the firm tattooed one and leading her outside and towards the jeep before she abruptly switched tactics and boxed Lexa in against the side of the jeep just behind the passenger door. Due to Lexa’s vigorous workout, she wasn’t in much of a position to stave off the surprise attack. She only raised an impeccable eyebrow at her girlfriend.

 

“You, dear Commander. Are incredibly sexy when you’re sweaty.” Clarke pushed her body forward and into Lexa’s, enticing a gasp out of the brunette. She ghosted her lips across Lexa’s not allowing them to gain any actual pressure just yet.

 

“And you, Sky girl, are a tease.” Lexa murmured as she raised a hand and gripped the bottom of Clarke’s neck, bringing her in for a slow and heated kiss. 

 

It was just enough to sate them and they broke apart with soft smiles for each other before Clarke stepped back and opened the door for her tired girlfriend who stepped in gratefully.

 

With a chuckle Clarke rounded the vehicle and hopped in the drivers seat.

 

***

 

The couple never made it to lunch with the rest of the group. They went back to Lexa’s apartment rather than Clarke’s this time and showered before collapsing into the brunette’s bed to sleep off the active morning (or in Clarke’s case, slightly active and deliciously cheesy morning.)

 

After huddling under the covers of Lexa’s bed, they slept for a few blissful hours before incessant knocking on the door woke them up around dinner time.

 

Lexa grumbled adorably as she got to her feet and uncoordinatedly made her way to the front door. She had only opened it a crack before it was pushed forcefully open from the other side, allowing the heavy metal fire door to smack Lexa in the shoulder and make her stumble backwards with a glower. In strode Anya, Echo and Raven, grocery and liquor store bags in hand which were quickly deposited on the kitchen counter.

 

In lieu of a verbal greeting, Lexa only closed the front door with a bang and stood tall on the far side of her kitchen island, staring down her friends with crossed arms and a clenched jaw. 

 

None of the three were even slightly fazed by Lexa’s glare, they were all well used to it by that point. 

 

Raven was the first to speak as Anya put the alcohol in Lexa’s fridge and proceeded to pull out ingredients from their grocery bags to start making burger patties. Echo quickly went out to Lexa’s balcony to light the barbecue then she rejoined Anya in the kitchen to help prepare the food.

 

“Stop with the angry face. We’re here to cook for you and blondie. We’re having a girls night and we all decided it was your turn to host.” Raven cocked her head to the side, teeth gleaming in a wide smile. She looked startlingly like her namesake in that moment and it almost had Lexa cracking a smile. Almost.

 

“If this is a girls night, then where is Octavia?” She narrowed her eyes at Raven, waiting for her rebuttal.

 

Raven only shrugged as she returned her attention to the bags and pulled out all the fixings for burger toppers. “She’s on her way, she is stopping at her place to pick up a bunch of movies for us to choose from later. I told her how you are with your blurays and she decided she didn’t want to risk your wrath if she accidentally scratched one.”

 

Lexa scoffed. “I am not that bad.”

 

In that moment Clarke made herself known by striding out of the bedroom with a tank top and loose sweat shorts on, only to contribute to the current discussion. “Sure you are babe, you almost shit bricks when I accidentally got fingerprints on your copy of Gamer.”

 

This little anecdote caused Raven to laugh out loud and Anya even smirked from where she was mixing pork and beef ground meat into an exact ratio. Echo chuckled while she chopped onions and got the burger spice mix ready.

 

Raven quieted enough to respond. “How did you get away with that one then?”

 

Lexa and Clarke shared a quick look and Lexa blushed while Clarke grinned lasciviously.

 

This time it was Anya who barked a quick and dry laugh, but fast as a flash she was straight faced again. If they hadn’t been there to see it, none of them would have believed it had happened. Echo continued to grin at the couple while Raven got a grossed out expression on her face, she clearly didn’t enjoy thinking of her best friend that way.

 

The moment was broken by the arrival of Octavia who breezed in with nary a knock or hey how do you do.

 

“Please, come on in O.” Lexa sighed and allowed her head to fall backwards as she looked at her tall ceilings as though to say ‘why me?’

 

O didn’t even respond to that, she only whipped out a handful of dvds from her backpack.

 

“Okay I’ve got the classics. John Tucker Must Die, Mean Girls, Clueless, Easy A, D.E.B.S., and the obligatory musical which I’ve decided will be Across The Universe.” The list elicited cheers from all women but Lexa and Anya who respectively, were confused by the titles and didn’t care enough to respond. “So ladies, what will it be?”

 

Raven responded easily. “4 for you Octavia! You go Octavia!”

 

The sporty brunette grinned at her girlfriend and was about to respond when Lexa uttered the words that served to bring everyone to a screeching halt.

 

“4 what Raven? Why are you giving O 4 of something?” She looked so confused, her brow was scrunched and her eyes were focused.

 

Clarke was staring at her girlfriend, mouth agape and unable to respond right away. When she regained her facilities she stepped forward and slapped a hand on Lexa’s shoulder. “Oh my god Lexa. Have you never seen Mean Girls?” Her voice was tentative, much like the one you’d adopt if you were asking a crying friend if they were okay.

 

For all that the whole room was waiting with bated breath for Lexa to reply (Anya included who was giving the most incredulous look ever seen by mankind) the brunette didn’t seem to be aware even a little bit about what was going on.

 

“...No?”

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

Lexa huffed in annoyance and the silence was then broken by Octavia. “Well then. That settles it. We’re starting with Mean Girls.” She walked towards the living room to deposit the movies and she high five’d Raven on her way past.

 

The tattooed brunette was still confused but now she was also apprehensive.

 

Her voice was small and unheard by any of the present women. “Starting with?”

 


	19. Day Forty Six - Continued

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Girls night is going strong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a day late lovelies! But I have a good excuse. Wait for it. I had a date last night. That was more fun than sitting at home with my laptop, trust me. Seriously.
> 
> As per usual, let me know what you think!

Lexa was so out of her depth.

 

They were all seated in her living room watching Mean Girls with burgers in hand. Anya had expertly grilled them and when Raven tried to help she administered a hard whack to the back of the mechanics head. Raven was about to shrug it off like she normally did but she abstained when Octavia got all fussy with her and kissed her head and stroked her hair. Raven was now sitting on the floor in front of the couch in between Octavia’s legs who was sitting on the far end of the couch. Suffice it to say, the mechanic was now milking her ‘injury’ for all it was worth. She resembled a cat who had gotten into the cream.

 

Echo was curled up with her knees to her chest in Lexa’s comfortable wing backed chair near the giant window wall while Anya was sitting on the back of the couch with her back against the blue-grey wall. Lexa was sitting in the middle of the couch between Octavia and Clarke while Clarke was sitting sideways on the other end of the couch with her legs stretched across Lexa and her feet in O’s lap.

 

They had only barely started the movie and they were all narrating along with the characters. Clarke was speaking Cady’s part, Raven was Damian, Echo was Janis, O was Karen and Anya was Regina. Lexa was confused why they were all insisting that once she had seen the movie as many times as they had, she just _had to_ speak the guy Aaron’s part. Obviously she refused.

 

Secretly though, she found Lizzy Caplan’s character to be irresistible, and she had to work very hard to not smile when Janis took over as well as every time she was on screen. Them knowing she was enjoying the movie would be admitting defeat, and Lexa never admitted defeat. 

 

They made it to the part of the movie where Cady became a fully-fledged plastic before Clarke excused herself to use the washroom and Lexa made a split second decision. She got to her feet after Clarke was out of sight and in the hallway before following the blonde, the rest of the group too absorbed in the movie to do much other than grumble when she blocked their view while following her girlfriend.

 

Lexa turned the corner in time to see Clarke go in the bathroom and move to shut the door. She quickened her step and held her hand up to catch the door before it closed.

 

Clarke looked at her with wide and curious eyes as she stepped back when Lexa entered the small room and shut the door firmly behind her. “Lexa, what-”

 

The brunette moved forward, bracketing Clarke against the sink and assaulting the slightly parted lips of her girlfriend with her own eager pair. The blonde caught on quickly and she raised her hands to grasp Lexa’s face with a sure grip while Lexa’s hands wrapped around her back and pulled her tightly against her warm body.

 

In between rushed and messy kisses, Clarke managed to get a few words out. “Not that I’m complaining...... but our friends are out there...... probably wondering where we are...... and we get loud...... this might not be a good time......”

 

Lexa scraped her teeth across Clarke’s lips and she moved her mouth to hover by her girlfriends ear. “Do you want me to stop?” She bit on the earlobe roughly and Clarke gasped, her eyes dilating even more so.

 

“Fuck no.” Clarke grabbed Lexa’s chin and brought her face back in front of her own so she could kiss the brunette greedily. This time the kiss deepened immediately and Lexa eagerly tasted Clarke’s tongue against her own. Clarke was moaning into the kiss, one of her hands had fisted in the front of Lexa’s grey button down shirt which was far sexier on her than any practical shirt like it had any business being while her other hand was tangled in Lexa’s hair, keeping her firmly in place.

 

With a flush of heat marking her cheeks and an all too familiar stirring in her navel, Lexa slipped a hand up Clarke’s loose tank top and was thankful that Clarke was not wearing a bra before grasping one of her heavy breasts in a sure grip, eliciting a drawn out moan from her girlfriend.

 

A flick of her wrist and a twist of nimble fingers and Clarke was grinding her hips forward into Lexa with a hiss of breath.

 

Lexa used her second hand to raise Clarke’s tank top over her head before allowing it to move down to cup Clarke’s unfairly perfect ass. She detached her lips from Clarke’s only to quickly attach them to one peaked nipple. She circled it with her tongue and let her teeth drag over it, sucking slightly the entire time.

 

“Sweet flying spaghetti monster that feels good.” Clarke’s colourful phrasing never ceased to make Lexa laugh and now was no exception. She chuckled lowly into the flushed skin in her mouth before loosening her hold to bestow a gentle nip to the underside of the soft flesh.

 

Clarke was looking down at her with lips parted and her own hands raised to rake through her thoroughly mussed hair. Old hickies decorated the pale skin, clearly illustrating Lexa’s favourite places and she eyed them with pride in that moment.

 

They spanned from Clarke’s neck and collarbones down to splay across the shallow indents by the blondes hip bones. There were also nail marks in the hips themselves which reminded Lexa of the situation those came about with fondness. She had been kneeling on her bed with Clarke’s hips in hand, having lifted her girlfriend up to rest her legs over her shoulders, thus leaving only Clarke’s shoulders to connect with the beds surface. She had tasted, licked and sucked with abandon, leaving Clarke a writhing mess who arched her back in pleasure as she came to orgasm. This only served to improve Lexa’s angle wherein the brunette decided to push Clarke into a second orgasm before lowering her back to the soft surface of her bed.

 

Now though, she stopped daydreaming long enough to reattach her lips to Clarke’s navel just above her shorts, teasing the blonde mercilessly. She allowed one hand to go up past the loose leg of the shorts, her fingers swiftly pushing aside the fabric barrier of Clarke’s underwear and swipe her lithe digits through her girlfriends very, very, wet folds. She swirled them through the wetness and retracted her fingers to put them in her own mouth, sucking with a moan and half lidded eyes.

 

Clarke was whining and she was trying to push Lexa’s head lower even though her shorts were still fully on. Lexa had lifted her second hand to play with the drawstring on the shorts and was showing signs of pulling the string and allowing the material to fall to the ground when the sound of raucous laughter was heard from her living room.

 

So, Lexa moved back and straightened her shirt with a smirk while she stood upright and moved to the door.

 

Clarke stood there with her mouth gaping open and a disbelieving look in her eyes. She looked at Lexa and protested weakly due to her severely compromised state. “Lexa, where are you going.” Her eyes were desperate and her hands bunched into frustrated fists.

 

Lexa looked at her wrecked girlfriend with a pleased grin. Clarke’s hair was all over the place, the soft muscles in her torso were bunched and her lips were pleasantly swollen and pink. Lexa shrugged with her verbal answer. “I’m uncomfortable with this entire evening and I thought it was only fair for you to be as well. I’ll see you out there Clarke.” In an uncharacteristic move, Lexa grinned widely and evilly as she opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, leaving Clarke standing in shock with unfulfilled desires flooding her body.

 

When she closed the door she stood by it for a moment and she clearly heard Clarke’s helpless whine through the wooden door. She chuckled quietly to herself before she walked back into the living room, taking her seat near her still preoccupied friends without another word.

 

***

 

Clarke surfaced only a minute after Lexa, having presumably done what she had gone to the bathroom for in the first place as well as put her shirt back on. Her hair was still mussed though and Octavia noticed, grinning while she elbowed Lexa in the side with a raised eyebrow.

 

The blonde sat next to Lexa, not stretching her legs across her lap this time. This position allowed her to raise her knees under her chin with her ankles crossed by her butt, thus clenching her thighs together without being too obvious. She eyed Lexa with frustration evident in her gaze but the brunette didn’t rise to the bait, she only smiled innocently as she reached to the coffee table to grab her drink.

 

With a huff of annoyance Clarke grabbed her own drink from the side table and downed it in one go. She pouted after that, occasionally sending a desperate and begging glance towards her girlfriend. When she realized that would have no effect on Lexa, she switched her gaze to a glaring one as she internally plotted her revenge.

 

Mean Girls came to an end and a vote was raised to decide on the next movie. Echo wanted to watch John Tucker Must Die and Anya agreed with her. The others were about to cast their vote when Lexa piped up and suggested D.E.B.S. since 4 of the 6 women present were queer and they deserved to watch two women falling for each other after having been subjected to the weird hetero dance in Mean Girls.

 

O and Raven were quick to support her and Clarke grudgingly agreed. She knew what Lexa was doing, that the movie would do nothing to lessen the pressure between her legs. Because come on, what self-respecting queer woman remains unaffected when watching Jordana Brewster making out with another woman?

 

They made it through the movie with little incident and they all decided to call it a night after that. O hadn’t drank as she opted to be DD for the evening. The others finished their drinks and they all clambered out with an absent minded goodbye from Echo, pats on the back from Raven, hugs from O, and a lack of any sort of acknowledgement from Anya who possessed only a single minded determination to find her bed and fall in it for an unnamed amount of time.

 

As soon as the door was shut, Lexa turned to Clarke with the teeeeeniest amount of apprehension. Clarke would either jump her bones, or continue with the cold shoulder routine.

 

The image of the blonde with her arms crossed and chin raised in defiance made it clear she was going with option two.

 

But Lexa had a plan for that, obviously.

 

She raised her hands and started undoing the buttons of her shirt, walking slowly passed Clarke and towards her balcony. The blonde watched with her jaw hanging loose, her eyes never leaving the slow reveal of flesh before her.

 

Lexa removed her shirt fully and deposited it on her couch as she walked past it. She was left in a sports bra and her loose jeans, wide banded boxer briefs visible above the waistband. The jeans quickly followed the shirt and she stepped out onto her balcony in her underwear, leaving Clarke still standing dumbly in her kitchen.

 

The brunette smirked to herself as she waited for her girlfriend’s move, arms crossed and leaning on her balcony railing.

 

Never one to back down from a challenge, Clarke waited for Lexa to turn her head and look at her before she started stripping. One article of clothing after the other went flying across the room until she was left standing fully nude, effectively one upping Lexa. She had her chin raised still and she stood straight, shoulders back with her chest pushed forward. 

 

Lexa’s mouth ran dry and she began to falter in her resolve to make Clarke come to her rather than the other way around.

 

But then again, hadn’t she made Clarke suffer enough that night? Maybe she could give in just enough to *reward* Clarke for her patience. 

 

The blonde grinned devilishly as she saw the flicker of need flash in Lexa’s eyes and she turned slowly, about to walk to the bedroom but was stopped short by Lexa’s hands gripping her hips firmly from behind. The brunette was faster and stealthier than Clarke by a mile, and she got the drop on her girlfriend rather easily.

 

Lexa pulled Clarke’s body against her own and the blonde leaned her back into her readily, satisfied she’d won again. Her feeling of achievement only lasted as long as it took for Lexa to spin them and lean Clarke forward over her kitchen counter. Then the feeling was quickly replaced by one of instant and heavy desire.

 

The brunette moved Clarke’s hair to one side of her neck and assaulted the pale column of flesh that was revealed with teeth and desperate lips. One hand still held fast to Clarke’s hip while the other ventured across a soft stomach, fingers digging into the flesh with no care to the harsh pressure of them.

 

Clarke wasn’t complaining, in fact she was fully receptive to the situation and was grinding her ass back and into Lexa’s navel encouraging Lexa’s ministrations.

 

With a rough bite to the back of Clarke’s neck, Lexa lowered her hand to swipe through Clarke’s wetness and was pleasantly surprised to find that Clarke was easily the most worked up she’d ever seen her. Upon the realization Lexa groaned into Clarke’s neck and abruptly thrust two fingers into the welcoming heat.

 

Clarke cried out, voice raspy and broken. Her hips kept rhythm with the steady and rough pumping of Lexa’s long fingers and her hands grasped the edge of the counter top in a vicelike grip.

 

The brunette worked her hand vigorously, determined to bring Clarke to completion harder than she ever had. Maybe she could still win this one. With that thought on her mind, she trailed her second hand down and teased Clarke’s clit while the other continued to work tirelessly. She continued to trail kisses down Clarke’s smooth neck, occasionally nipping and sucking as she saw fit.

 

The reactions from Clarke were serving to drive Lexa into a daze, her eyes were losing focus while her muscles continued their activities without faltering. She felt the pressure between her own legs and she ground her pelvis forward and into Clarke as she sped up her hands.

 

Clarke was losing it, her eyes were rolling back and she was incapable of words. She was moaning breathlessly and more loudly than Lexa’d ever heard her before and it made Lexa hot enough that she was feeling far too close to the precipice herself and she hadn’t even been touched yet.

 

Her increased speed and constant attention in all the right places had Clarke thiiiiis close and as she approached her orgasm she reached a hand back and gripped Lexa’s hair with force. The brunette felt a sudden rush between her legs and as eager as she was to get release herself, she bit down on Clarke’s shoulder roughly in anticipation. This pushed Clarke that last distance and the blonde arched her back and allowed her head to push into Lexa’s shoulder and her hand to tighten in the thick brown hair as she screamed her pleasure. Likely heard by many of Lexa’s neighbours as she had left the sliding door of her balcony wide open.

 

Lexa’s hands were coated in Clarke’s release and she moved them more slowly, bringing Clarke down with care in a stark juxtaposition to their previous activities.

 

Clarke was breathing heavily, taking in large gulps of air as her body sagged against the strong form of Lexa behind her.

 

The tattooed brunette chuckled lowly and tried to ignore the torturous throbbing between her legs as she imagined Clarke would be far too worn out to reciprocate just yet. Turns out, she was wrong.

 

With a sudden surge of strength, Clarke turned and lifted Lexa up to sit on the edge of the kitchen island. She gripped Lexa’s underwear and yanked them off before bringing Lexa to the very edge of the counter and dropping to her knees.

 

Her eyes gleamed and her gaze speared the brunette in place. “My turn.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to the lovely 'AckbarOnDeck' for the beta of this chapter. If you guys aren't following her Clexa fic 'Running Away, Only to Run Into You' then you should really go and check it out. It's pretty awesome.


	20. Day Forty Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa are treated to a few surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M BACK. HIATUS OFFICIALLY OVER.
> 
> Sorry for the wait guys, but I cannot express enough how appreciative I am for your patience and also your support while I was away. My life finally makes sense to me and writing is again something I can do! (It's tough to get anything out when you feel burned out and creatively stifled)
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think whether it's in a comment here, or a message to my askbox on tumblr! (URL TheSpaminator).
> 
> Thanks again you lovely, beautiful humans.
> 
> <3

      Lexa and Clarke were chilling in Lexa’s place the Sunday morning after the impromptu movie night with the girls when a rather insistent knocking was heard from the front door. Both women looked up and their eyes met from across the span of Lexa’s work room. The brunette  was working on a new costume while Clarke doodled from her spot on the ridiculously comfortable couch.

 

      With a slightly furrowed brow, Lexa got to her feet and walked the length of her hallway and front foyer to answer the door, all the while with a curious blonde following her. “Lexa, who is it?” Clarke was stood behind Lexa who had her hand on the doorknob, and her eyes were sneaking a peek around Lexa’s head. “Well since you are a Clarke perhaps you know the answer to that question seeing as the door is still shut?” Lexa deadpanned. Clarke poked her in the ribs and rebutted. “Rude. I’m not a Clarke of the Kent variety thank you very much.”

 

      Snorting shortly, Lexa turned the knob and pulled the door open with a whoosh of air. Standing on the other side was a very angry neighbour sporting a rather impressive glare, who without a word shoved a piece of paper in Lexa’s face. Lexa gingerly gripped the paper, and Clarke opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by the derisive sniff of the angry party now glaring at her. She closed her mouth with a click of her teeth and widened her eyes at the clear discomfort and resentment in the man’s eyes. He stormed away and into his own apartment, slamming the door with more force than was strictly required. 

 

      “Ummmmm......” Clarke tried to find words but was stumped. The two stood in the still open doorway in complete and utter confusion. Finally gaining her bearings, Lexa closed the door and turned to look at Clarke with the most adorable pout she had ever seen. Clarke couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “Okay, so end the misery. What is it?” The blonde tried to look at it upside down while pushing herself up on her tip toes but didn’t have much luck.

 

      Lexa finally turned her eyes to the page in her hand only to see the most passive aggressive note she had ever had the misfortune of seeing in her entire life.

 

**_Ms Woods,_ **

 

**_The purpose of this notice is to remind you that you have_ **

**_neighbours who have made a genuine effort to be_ **

**_understanding of your odd hours, loud music, and obnoxious_ **

**_power tool usage within the confines of your apartment._ **

 

**_However, Saturday evening was the last straw, and we find_ **

**_ourselves in a less than desirable position. The sounds of you and_ **

**_your girlfriend having aggressive sex while your windows and_ **

**_balcony doors are open is both uncomfortable for us, and a vast_ **

**_overshare on your part. Frankly, it was vulgar and crossed a_ **

**_line (in fact, many lines were crossed with this indiscretion)._ **

 

**_Please make an effort to lessen the disturbances or we will be_ **

**_forced to contact the building manager and file an official_ **

**_complaint._ **

 

**_The neighbours of yours in question met this morning and this_ **

**_letter was written in a joint effort. You’ll find signatures of all your_ **

**_neighbours from this floor as well as the floors above and below_ **

**_you (all affected by your inconsiderate late night/middle of the_ **

**_night/early morning activities) in support and witness of the_ **

**_message herein._ **

 

      The damned paper actually had the signatures of all Lexa’s neighbours. After Lexa had bestowed that first orgasm on the blonde in the kitchen the night before, their activities had continued for a respectable (albeit impressive) amount of time. But now, the brunette in question’s cheeks were aflame in embarrassment and likely mortification while Clarke was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face.

 

      “Oh my god Lexa!” Clarke was laughing uproariously and was curled around her stomach, sliding down the wall which she had leaned on for support during her fit. 

 

      Lexa glared at Clarke, but to no avail. The blonde kept laughing. “Clarke! This isn’t funny! They might file a formal complaint against me!!!” She gestured widely with her hands and looked at her girlfriend in incredulity. 

 

      “Lexa! Come on! That is hilarious!!!! They actually all heard us last night and organized this morning!” Clarke was reduced to giggles but they were still hysterical. “Do you know what this means???? Lexa! They rallied this morning! THEY HAD A FUCKING MEETING ABOUT IT!!!” Once again Clarke started laughing fully. She wasn’t just crying this time either, she was almost to the point of hyperventilating in her seemingly unending hilarity.

 

      Suffice it to say that while the brunette did see the humour in the situation, she was significantly more concerned than amused. She had thought herself to be the perfect tenant prior to this, and now that image was forever shattered. Although, it seemed that this wasn’t even close to her first indiscretion, it was simply the worst.

 

      Lexa sighed tiredly and allowed her head to fall backwards for a moment as she shook her head at the ceiling. “I will never have sex with a window open again.” She sighed and looked down at Clarke who was now laying full body on the floor, still laughing. The cosplayer rolled the paper in her hands and as she walked past Clarke to go back to work, she swatted the blonde on the head with it. 

 

      This stopped the laughter immediately and instead drew the surprised and amused eyes of the artist. Lexa recognized that look and she shot off towards the room with a whoop, Clarke hastily pushing to her feet to follow at speed.

 

      Lexa was almost to the work room when Clarke wriggled by and cut her off at the pass, so she turned and scrambled into the bedroom instead. With enviable maneuverability, Clarke sprinted into the room and tackled her girlfriend. With a strong grip around Lexa’s waist, the two fell to the floor giggling. And as things do, the contact only encouraged more physical interaction and before they knew it, they were making out furiously.

 

      But in between kisses and moving to the bed, Lexa made sure she closed all the windows in the room.

 

***

 

      They went undisturbed for all of three more hours. By this point they were in the kitchen, scrounging for supper. Once again, the front door was what caught their attention, only this time rather than an insistent knocking, it was aggressive banging.

 

      At this point Lexa’s embarrassment had died and she was slightly angry since her neighbours were not as saintly as they made themselves out to be. So upon hearing the new disruption, she strode to the door with purpose and whipped it open with a tirade falling from her lips before she even had the door open. “LISTEN. We closed the window this time so if you heard Clarke screaming my name-” 

 

      Rather than an angry neighbour though, it was Anya on the other side of the door. She shouldered roughly passed Lexa and strode with purpose towards the work room. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were wild as she stomped into the room, leaving two seriously confused women standing in the kitchen.

 

      “What the fuck.” Lexa whispered to herself as she once again closed the front door and walked to her work room with Clarke in tow. Once in the room her eyes widened comically as Anya was rushing around, throwing various things into a pile in the centre of the room. “ANYA. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING.” Lexa dashed forwards to catch the things Anya was throwing that while not fragile, were not impervious to damage at the hands of a possessed woman haphazardly throwing them.

 

      Getting no other response but more things thrown backwards into the pile and Lexa’s arms, the tattooed woman tried again. “ANYA!!!” Lexa bellowed her name and she finally got her attention. The sharper brunette turned on a dime and strode right up to Lexa, her face inches from Lexa’s.

 

      Anya was breathing heavily and her eyes were as wide as Lexa had ever seen them. When she finally spoke, it was in a tone the softer brunette had never heard from the woman. It was desperate and tight. “Lexa.” After the utterance of Lexa’s name, she had reached her hands up and grabbed the collar of Lexa’s t-shirt, bringing her even closer to her face so that their foreheads were practically touching. Lexa was vaguely unnerved by the unblinking and manic eyes of her friend which felt to be searing straight through her soul. “Check. Your. Fucking. Email.” 

 

      “Jesus christ Anya, what is wrong with you?” Lexa was concerned. Anya only scoffed and turned to her task of misplacing Lexa’s belongings with renewed vigour.

 

      Lexa knew a lost cause when she saw one so with a sigh and a roll of her eyes in Clarke’s direction, she pulled out her phone to check her email, immediately seeing that Anya had sent her one a short while ago. The blonde was standing in the doorway of the room, arms crossed and shoulder leaning against the jam as she watched the two women face off. She found Anya’s current state to be one of the most amusing things she had ever seen and she was not going to miss a second of it. It might be good blackmail material later, who knew?

 

      Her attention was eventually drawn from Anya when she heard the sharp inhale of breath from Lexa, who was now stood stock still with her phone all of an inch from her face. Green eyes skimmed the email with lightning speed and razor precision and before Clarke knew what was happening, Lexa had thrown her phone onto the couch and was now helping Anya in her task.

 

      Okay. Now Clarke was _really_ confused. “Dude, Lexa. What the hell is happening right now?!” She shouldered off the jam and stood up straight, wide eyes scanning between the two brunettes as she tried to fill in the blanks.

 

      Lexa had just dragged out three of her complete costume storage bins to join the pile in the centre of the room but at Clarke’s words, her head jerked upwards quicker than should have been human and she raced over to Clarke, putting a hand on either side of her face. 

 

      While Anya was all panic and hot temper, Lexa was panic and cold calculation. Gravely serious eyes gazed into Clarke’s for an uncomfortably long period of time before the blonde started to worry. “Lexa, what is going on? Why are you both acting like this? What happened? Should I be worried right now?”

 

      “Clarke.” Lexa failed to say anything beyond the name, causing Clarke to sigh impatiently and glare pointedly at her girlfriend. “Clarke.” She repeated her name before she actually gave an answer. “The email I just read contained an invitation from San Diego Comic Con, asking the troupe to attend as guests. They want us there as _professional_ cosplayers Clarke. And to perform during a panel.” Her eyes were starting to take on the wild hue already present in Anya’s.

 

      San Diego Comic Con. The big one. The con to beat all cons. Even Clarke the simple comic book and art geek was freaking out slightly. “Holy shit. Holy SHIT!!! LEXA!!!! That is AMAZING news!!!!!” Clarke jumped up and glomped onto her girlfriend in a powerful hug, laughing as Lexa’s arms barely caught her before she fell flat on her ass. 

 

      Not long after, Clarke wiggled out of her hold to speak once more. “So all of you are going? Did they provide tickets or do you have to fly yourselves? Are they covering any expenses?” She knew that in that moment, the two other women were so beyond the simple realm of excitement that they weren’t likely thinking about logistics. Especially since the convention was only a week away. “Also, why are you moving all your things into the middle of the room? Isn’t it a little early to pack for this?” 

 

      Anya spoke up as she clearly was aware of more of the actual situation as Lexa had only briefly skimmed the email. “The whole troupe is going, I booked all of us plane tickets for Wednesday. But we need to send our costumes through courier to have them all there. We can’t take this many bins or supplies on a plane with us. We ship them separately, we pick them up in San Diego. And yes, they are paying for our hotel although the travel costs need to be paid by us.” She was now organizing the pile in the centre of the room, trying to figure how they could condense all of it into only a handful of bins.

 

      Clarke felt a slight pang in her chest at the news, but she didn’t say so. “Holy crap, guys this is amazing! I am so excited for you and so so so proud of you all!!” She bit her bottom lip in thought as Lexa continued to stand in front of her, excited but wary eyes picking up on Clarke’s unease. “But, how long is this trip for?”

 

      “We are gone for two weeks. There are a ton of other events surrounding the con that we can get involved in, get our names out there. This is an amazing opportunity for exposure that we can’t pass up.” Anya was speaking robotically, spewing the words as though she had them memorized by rote. Her eyes had not once left the pile in front of her.

 

      At this, Lexa finally understood Clarke’s slight hesitation. “Hey, it’s only two weeks. I’ll see you when I get back?” The anxiety was clear in her voice and Clarke softened at it. She couldn't be upset at not seeing Lexa when it was for a reason as amazing and big as this one.

 

      The blonde was about to reply when Anya cut her off neatly. “Oh, did you not look at the attachments I sent in the email Lexa? When I said I got us all tickets, that included Clarke, Octavia and Lincoln. I told the event planner who called me that they were our media guru, manager, and personal trainer. They all get free accommodations too. So go home and pack up blondie, you’re coming with us.” All of this was said still with a voice devoid of inflection, but they shocked the couple none the less.

 

      “Anya. Did you just say that you bought plane tickets for my girlfriend, her best friend, and her best friends boyfriend? So they can all go with us?” Lexa’s eyes were glazed and her mouth hung open slightly.

 

      “No. I said I bought tickets for our media guru, manager, and personal trainer. They don’t need to know anything else. Besides, I had so many points saved up that their tickets were free. I expect you and the others in the troupe to reimburse me for your tickets.” She now had a few bins open and was expertly fitting in repair kits, spare pieces of material in case of a required field repair, tools that may be required, small tubes of paint, basically as many small fabricating items as possible. Lastly she stuffed in the occasional cloth costume, safely tucked in around the armour to both protect the armoured costumes and to also allow for more costume options at the actual convention.

 

      Lexa was still speechless while Clarke was almost on the verge of crying. Instead of bursting into thankful tears, Clarke jolted forward and hugged Anya fiercely, the brunette rigidly accepting it (which was as much a surprise to her as it was to both Clarke and Lexa.)

 

      “Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!! Anya I don’t know how to actually thank you!!!!!” Clarke rasped into the ear of the woman barely accepting her hug.

 

      “How about letting go of me?” There was a slight catch in Anya’s sentence, and this was what eventually prompted Clarke to let go. She stood back with shock and warmth in her eyes as she regarded the normally abrupt and stoic woman in front of her. Lexa was still standing by the door to the room where Clarke left her, and she looked like she might have a laughing fit similar to Clarke’s earlier in the day. 

 

      Was this really the Anya they knew standing in front of them? The Anya they knew never expressed excessive (to her) amounts of emotion, or revealed her true feelings (that is if she had any. If you asked her, she would say she wasn’t in possession of empathy or emotions. It kept people on her toes, she didn’t like the idea of anyone ever being completely comfortable around her) so to see her react to a surprise hug from Clarke had both women reacting in their own ways.

 

      “If either of you tell anyone what just happened, I will personally feed you each others spleens.”

 

      Ah, there was the Anya they knew.


End file.
